Come To Me
by His Black Rider
Summary: 23 year old Isabella is one of the most skilled in the U.S.M.C. But when she catches the unwanted attention of The Cobras, she soon finds herself fighting for her life and freedom as well as the rest of the world's. To make things even more complicated, sparks between her and a certain black clad ninja start to fly.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

"And how do you expect to achieve those files, Doctor?" asked a man with a heavy Scottish accent.

"Easy James; a girl is the key." A low, chilling voice answered casually.

"Please elaborate." James McCullen softly demanded.

The Doctor turned from the large window he had been staring out of to face McCullen; long black hair hung down his neck, a breathing mask covered most of his face only his eyes visible. In his black gloved hands, he held a simple green folder; he gently flashed the file at McCullen,

"I've been keeping tabs on her for about a year now; she's just what we need." He explained.

"Who is she?" James McCullen asked while crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed the file in The Doctor's hands.

"Isabella Wright, daughter of General Wright of the U.S.M.C." The Doctor answered; James shrugged his shoulders,

"What's so special about her?" he asked.

The Doctor's eyes lit up, "What isn't?" he returned before he opened the file and started reading off its contents, "Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps, black belt in two types of marital arts, earned a Masters degree in the Sciences at Princeton University," The Doctor paused for a quick second to chuckle, "….and she's only 23."

James' eyebrows rose up at the information, "Talented little vixen, huh?" he asked; again The Doctor chuckled,

"A very promising spirit, I assure you." He stated as he closed the file once more.

"And what use could she be to us?"McCullen asked.

"Miss Wright works and has access to some of the most top secret files in the U.S. With the information she contains, the things we could acquire is endless!" The Doctor explained with excitement in his eyes. Then he reached back into the file for a quick second and pulled out a small picture; he extended the photo out for McCullen to take, "Not to mention I think she would make a lovely addition to our forces."

McCullen cocked an eyebrow before he took up the photo in his own hands and studied the face within it; he gave a soft nod of approval before he handed the picture back to The Doctor who slipped it back into its file, "A pretty face without a doubt." He admitted; The Doctor nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. So is it settled then?" he asked. McCullen pondered the question for a few seconds before he nodded again,

"Do whatever it takes, Doctor. But pray tell, how do plan on getting this girl exactly?" he asked with curiosity.

The Doctor chuckled before he turned back around to face the window, "Let's just say that one of our newer recruits has….willingly volunteered to handle the task. If things go as planned, she should be joining us by the end of the year."

McCullen nodded his head in understanding, "Keep me informed of the progress, Doctor."

"Of course." The Doctor answered. James McCullen then turned and left the Doctor's Laboratory without another word, leaving the scheming Doctor to his arrangements.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one

Sweat trickled down the side of her face as she kept up her fast pace on the treadmill; dressed only in some black short shorts and a pink sports bra with her long strawberry blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail, Isabella contentedly ran as she blasted her IPod in her ear. Every now in then, she'd hum along with the chorus of the song she was playing. At last, once the treadmill read that she had completed running 3 miles, she slowed the pace down to a walk to cool off. Then after a few calming minuets of walking, she turned the treadmill off completely before she hopped off the piece of machinery. She immediately bent down and scooped up her ice cold water bottle before popping the cap off and putting the mouthpiece to her full, pink lips; she took a few, deep swigs of the water before the put the cap back on and picked up a small hand towel that she used to wipe the sweat off her face and neck then she took out one of her earphones from her ear to listen incase someone entered the private gym. When an upbeat song came on her IPod, Isabella smiled to herself before she started swinging her hips along to the music. Though her military training had taught her to never be surprised at anything, she almost couldn't help but jump when she heard a low, rumbling laughter coming from across the gym. Instantly, defensively, she spun about; a tall, well built man who looked to be in his early 50's stood leaning up against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest as he studied Isabella,

"What on earth are you doing, Bella?" he asked with amusement; his brown eyes twinkled with laughter; Isabella grinned sheepishly at her father,

"Training." She answered casually with a soft shrug of her shoulders. Her father cocked an amused eyebrow at her before he stepped into the gym and walked over to where she stood.

"Training?" he repeated, "I was unaware that shaking your fanny like so was considered training in the Marine Corps." He stated as he mockingly started to mimic his daughter's little jig; Isabella burst out laughing. He father looked like he was trying to hoo-la-hoop. She playfully smacked him on his arm,

"Dad, stop it. What would your staff say if they saw you doing THAT?" she pointed out. General Wright stopped his little imitation before he smirked down on his only child,

"Eh good point." He stated before he draped an arm around his daughter's shoulders and steered her towards the gym's exit. "So…."he father began, "…the Marine Corps Birthday Ball is coming up this weekend. I would expect that you would be attending?" he inquired curiously. Isabella gave a soft shrug,

"I was planning on it but what's the theme this year?" she returned.

"Masquerade." He father answered casually.

"Ooh…they're being bold this year." She teased lightly while she gave a soft nudge of her elbow into her father's side. General Wright chuckled,

"Indeed. So is that a yes?"

Isabella nodded her head, "Yeah, why not? They're certainly interesting to be apart of." She answered with a smile.

"Good, good." He father replied with a swift nod of his head.

The two quickly made their way out of the gym and headed up to General Wright's office. Once inside, Isabella walked over to where she had her duffle bag lying neatly on the ground against the side of a wall. She then reached inside and pulled out a large sweatshirt and slipped it over her head, covering her exposed torso before she picked up the strap of her bag and slung it over a shoulder.

"Give me a minuet, Bella. I need to grab a few things." Her father stated as he smoothly marched over to his grand work desk and rummaged around it. Soon he pulled out a thick but carefully stacked pile of flies; then he swiftly tucked them underneath his arm before he walked back over to where Isabella stood, waiting for him. "Alright let's move out." He stated in a jokingly serious manner. Isabella rolled her eyes and smiled at her dad's use of the military term before she led the way out of her dad's office. General Wright stopped for a quick second to turn, close and lock up his room. Then once that task was done, the two Wrights left their work building and were soon outside making their way through the parking lot where their cars were parked. It was already the evening time and the sky was quickly darkening with each minuet, the approaching night's air was cool and slightly chilling to the touch. Finally the Wrights stopped between two cars, the General's which was a neatly, polished black truck and Isabella's, a dark blue sports car. Both Isabella and her father pulled out their keys for their vehicles and unlocked the two cars; while Isabella tossed her duffle bag into the back of her car, she called back over her shoulder to her father who was also placing his own personal effects away in his truck.

"So….General," Isabella teased her dad formally, "What's the plan for tomorrow, sir?" she asked.

"I've got a meeting at the Pentagon at 13:00 hours and while I'm away Lieutenant, I need you to file some paperwork and write a few reports on them." her dad answered. Isabella's face scrunched up in displeasure at her father's words; she absolutely hates working behind a desk all day long. Gracefully, she turned around to face him,

"With all do respect sir, you know I detest that kind of work." She calmly protested. "I'd rather be fighting on the frontline!" she grumbled to herself. Her father heard her words and glanced over his shoulder at her and chuckled,

"Oh Bella, you're always looking for the action." General Wright lightly pointed out. Isabella shrugged both her shoulders,

"I can't help it, I'm a free spirit!" she defensively stated.

"Yeah I know, must've gotten it from your mother." He father lovingly teased causing Isabella to smirk proudly,

"Naturally." She stated with a soft laugh. Isabella's mother was a highly trained Navy doctor and Isabella was made in her very image: same eyes, face shape, smiling mouth, the strong womanly independence burning deep within them; the only few things that Isabella had that resembled her father was her hair color and of course her keen skills with military strategy. Her father then turned away from his truck to face his only child,

"So, can I count on you to file the paperwork and complete those reports?" Her father asked. Isabella straightened up, stood at attention before raising a hand up to her temple in a respectful salute,

"Yes, sir." She firmly answered. General Wright smiled and returned the salute before adding softly,

"That's my girl." He said with approval. Isabella smiled,

"Is there anything **exciting** you might be able to throw in for me once I'm done with that task?" she asked hopefully; her father smirked and shook his head before he turned around and reached back into his truck,

"Always on the job, aren't you Bella?" he father teased, calling back over his shoulder.

"Yup!" she called back. When her father turned back around he held three red folders in his hand;

"Well since you're looking for a challenge, perhaps you could help me with these." Her father stated as he handed the files over to Isabella who took them with careful hands. On the top of one of the files read the word 'Classified.' "These are the blueprints to some new, highly developed weapons of war. As you can see already they are strictly classified but you've already been exposed to stuff like this so you know the drill. Now what I need you to do is to carefully go through each file and read over what is written. You're known for your professional observations which why I'm entrusting you with this. Some other Generals, including myself aren't sure how to feel about these ideas and you'll see why for yourself, so when you have the time, take notes on all the things you notice about these plans, good or bad." He father explained. Isabella nodded her head in understanding,

"It will be done." She answered as she hugged the files close to her chest.

"Great. Well then, get some sleep tonight because it looks like you'll be quite busy for the next 48 hours." He father stated as he walked over and gave his daughter a parting embrace which she naturally returned,

"Night, dad, give mom my love!." She murmured,

"Goodnight sweetheart and I will." He replied.

When the two pulled away, they turned from each other and each climbed into their own car. Once both vehicles were running, they drove off in opposite directions. Though the two Wrights were close in both father/daughter relationship and work, Isabella no longer lived with her father or mother since she was 23 years old and could afford her own small apartment on the outskirts of the military base they worked on. It was about a 20 minuet drive to her apartment and once she had parked her car out in front of her building, she turned off the car's engine, grabbed the red files and climbed out of the driver's seat. She swiftly grabbed her duffle bag from the backseat before she walked up to her front door and unlocked it. She nudged the door open with her shoulder and shut it with a firm kick from her foot; inside she carried her belongings through her small apartment and into her bedroom before dropping the files on her bed and setting her bag down on the floor beside it. Her back felt a bit stiff from work but she knew a nice hot bubble bath would fix that right up. After she went into the bathroom to get the hot water going in the tub of hers, she made a quick trip to the kitchen and made herself a peanut butter sandwich with raspberry jelly. By the time she got back into her bedroom, half of the sandwich was already gone and it wasn't long after that the other half disappeared as well. Once her food was done, she waltzed back into her bathroom which was filling up with steam and the sweet smell of roses from bubbles. Once the tub was filled, she closed her bathroom door for some privacy and turned the faucet off. Isabella stripped off her clothes and slowly stepped into the tub. At first the hot bath water made her hiss slightly but her body soon welcomed its heat as she sank down into the mass of scented bubbles that covered her bare breasts and enveloped her entire body. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes before letting out a soft sigh of pleasure. Her moment of peace was quickly interrupted when she faintly heard the tune of 'Bad Romance' by Lady Gaga coming from somewhere in her bedroom, her duffle bag to be exact. Her turquoise eyes snapped open,

"Ah shit!" she swore under her breath as she quickly forced herself to rise up from the tub and climb out; she snatched a white, fluffy towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around her torso before she threw her bathroom door open and ran for her phone. After digging it out of the bottom of her duffle bag, she pressed the talk button and put her cell phone to her ear,

"Lieutenant Colonel Wright speaking." She expertly spoke into the phone,

"Lieutenant," came a serious but familiar voice; Isabella knew at once who had called,

"General Speice." She acknowledged respectfully before waiting for him to continue,

"We have a problem."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2:

"We have a problem." Came the General's voice again; Isabella's brows furrowed softly at the news,

"Sir?" she asked in slight confusion,

"I've just received word that there was a break in at the National War College." He informed. Isabella paused for a few seconds to think,

"The War College?" she repeated, "Here in Washington D.C.?" she asked, "…that was where I went to school…." She thought to herself quietly,

"Yes. At exactly 19:00 hours, someone managed to sneak into the building and hack into their entire computer system."

Isabella's turquoise eyes widened slightly before she took a seat upon her bed, "Unbelievable…" she breathed out in disbelief, "…..did they acquire anything important?" she asked. Isabella heard the General sigh,

"If by important you mean 'classified' then no Lieutenant. The files they pulled up were nothing of that level." He answered. Isabella frowned softly in deep thought,

"If they weren't looking for classified information then what were they looking for?" she questioned.

"That's why I'm calling tonight Lieutenant." General Speice began, "They were **your **personal files." He answered.

"What?"

"Yeah, they took everything from your High School transcripts to your Military Resume."

Isabella was silent for a few seconds to let the General's words sink in, "Well that's a pointless thing to look at." She bluntly stated.

"Maybe, maybe not; clearly it seemed important to whoever broke into the system. And that's not all; they might even have gotten a hold of some of your more personal information as well." He informed.

"Like what?" Isabella asked calmly,

"Medical files, phone number, possibly your street address." He answered uncertainly; Isabella's head inclined to the side,

"Why would someone go through all that?" She asked softly, thought she had a feeling she night know the answer,

"Look, though we haven't been able to figure out who's did this or why, we have suspicions to believe that someone may be targeting you Lieutenant." He seriously stated.

"I don't see why." Isabelle confessed calmly.

"Neither can we but nonetheless, we must be cautious." The General replied; Isabella nodded her head in agreement before sighing,

"Very well then. Orders sir?" she asked.

"Until we have a better idea of who's behind this break in, I think it would be best for you to keep a low profile. I shall inform your father about this, and ask that you, for at least a week or so, work at home." He answered.

Isabella almost cringed at his words and inside her mind she was groaning 'damn' "Home, sir?" she repeated, not caring that her voice did not hide it's disappointment.

"Will that be a problem, Lieutenant?" General Speice asked in return. Naturally, obediently, Isabella straightened up,

"No, sir. Not at all." She answered firmly this time.

"Very good. Well then, that's all I have to say for now. I'll be in touch and shall let you know should we find out more about this unexpected situation."

"Yes sir." She replied automatically. Then she heard a click on the other end of the line and knew that the phone call had been brought to an end. With her phone still clutched in one hand, Isabella rose to her feet and walked back over to the bathroom and once again shut the door. She lazily dropped her towel to the floor and placed her cell phone on the corner of the tub before she stepped back into the fairly hot water. Her turquoise eyes fluttered closed and she softly groaned out loud, "This is why I hate Mondays…."

And though Isabelle tried to let her now tense muscles melt away in the heat of the bath, her body stayed in its alert state because, though she couldn't imagine why, the main part of General Speice's message was echoing inside her head. Someone was targeting her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3:

With her hair twisted up into a bun, dressed only in a light blue cami with matching pajama pants, Isabella sat cross-legged upon her soft queen-sized bed looking down on one of the three now open red files her father had given her earlier that day. She carefully studied the blueprints inside with great intensity, memorizing every possible detail being portrayed; softly her brows furrowed together in deep thought and her lips turned down in a soft scowl,

"Where on Earth do people get these ideas from?" she asked out loud as she dropped the first file she was looking at and picked up the second one before repeating the same observing process; she found her head slightly inclining to the side as she glanced at the model drawing of what could be a newly constructed weapon of war, "Man these people have way too much time on their hands…" she stated with a soft shake of her head before she carefully put down the second file; beside her she picked up a notepad and pen which she used to neatly and decisively scribble down her personal observations on the first two weapon ideas. After briefly explaining how she thought the ideas were certainly unique, she greatly emphasized how the whole idea of those weapons lack stability. Already Isabella could envision a hundred different ways that could go wrong with using those ideas they way they are; without a doubt in her mind did she know that the plans needed some work. Isabella finished writing her last statement on the notepad before she set it down in her lap and reached for the final file; she lazily flipped the cover back and pulled out the short report written specifically for the contents inside before she skimmed over the writing and glanced down at the models for this last new idea. At the top of one of the papers inside the file read the bold words "**Nanomite Technology**"; the name itself instantly caught Isabella's attention. The file, as Isabella read through, discussed how they will be made into warheads and with the proper programming can eat through any material but in this case they are strictly designed for metal. Isabella softly reread the report out loud,

"A single warhead can obliterate a heavy-duty military tank in just minuets. Once the Nanomites hit their target, they won't stop until the Kill Switch has been deactivated, disarming the Nanomites and preventing further destruction…." Her voice faded out as she glanced back down at the drawn out model of the Nanomite warhead.

"Have people completely forgotten what it means to fight fair?" she asked herself. With a soft disapproving sigh, she reached down and picked up her notepad and pen once more. Now if it wasn't considered unprofessional to start off a written report with the words 'Hell No!' that is precisely how Isabella would have phrased it. In a swift, graceful penmanship she spoke her mind,

"This is idea is far more dangerous than anything else I've ever been exposed to. Though I appreciate the progress that has been made with technology, this is out of the question. Could one imagine what could happen should an idea like this fall into the hands of terrorists? These Nanomites could have the ability to annihilate an entire city and the only way they can be stopped is by a push of a button….." Isabella's train of thought was soon interrupted when her phone, lying next to her on the nightstand beside the bed, went off. The catchy jingle of Ne-yo's 'Miss Independent' reached her ears, signaling that she had received a text message. After tucking her pen behind an ear, Isabelle leaned over and reached for her phone; she hit the 'view' button on the phone and words came up on the screen,

"_**Meet me at the Marine Birthday Ball when the clock reads 11:00" **_the number was listed as unknown; a single eyebrow rose up at the anonymous order. Isabella turned her phone sideways and slid its keypad out before she swiftly typed back,

"_**And who might this be?" **_she replied curiously. Just seconds later her phone went off again,

"_**That's a secret." **_her screen read. Instinctively Isabella's head cocked itself to the side slightly,

"_**Do I know you?" **_she questioned, feeling both intrigued and cautious about whoever she was communicating with. Another few seconds went by before she got her response,

"_**Do you want to know me?"**_her screen returned. Isabella couldn't help the small amused smile that threatened to pull at her lips before she simply shook her head and wrote back,

"_**I can see that I won't be getting anywhere with this interrogation." **_She stated. After a few seconds of silence her phone sounded off once more,

"_**Oh there will be plenty of time for interrogations later." **_

Both of Isabella's eyebrows rose at this statement, _**"You sound so sure of yourself." **_She boldly typed back. Once she sent her message out, she put her phone on vibrate. The moment she felt her phone frantically vibrate in her hand, she hit the button and viewed the message,

"_**What can I say?**_ _**I've always been a man of absolute certainty." **_

Isabella gave a soft snort, _**"Uh-huh….sure you are."**_ She retorted. Her phone tingled again after ten seconds,

"_**You doubt me?" **_

"_**Should I not?" **_she wittily threw back and waited for the response.

"_**Fair enough. So can I expect your presence on Friday night?"**_

Isabella bit her lip in deep thought; though she found this conversation slightly amusing, she wasn't stupid enough to just accept an offer from an anonymous stranger, even if that person might be someone she may know on base.

"_**You can expect it but I make no promises. After all, it's a masquerade so that alone will make it a bit difficult to pick a face out of the crowd." **_She pointed out.

"_**Ah true. But I'm always up for a challenge."**_ Her phone replied.

"_**Well good luck with that." **_Isabella lazily typed back.

"_**I'll be looking forward to our meeting.…" **_after that last message, her phone stayed silent. Isabella picked it up and placed it back on her nightstand after she quickly set it on silent. Then she gathered up the scattered files on her bed and placed them in a neat pile alongside her phone with her notepad and pen on top.

"Well looks like thing will be going down hill from here." she calmly stated outloud as she then pulled back the covers on her bed and slid beneath them. Just as she turned off the lamp that rested on her nightstand, she made a quick mental note,

"Keep a sharp eye out for anyone suspicious and a gun on my person at all times." Then after she looked over at her alarm clock which read 12:46 A.M. Isabella closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep…………

_(Somewhere inside the Cobra's hidden base)_

A tall and well built man with dark hair and eyes had just flipped his communicating device closed and slid it inside one of his pants pockets.

"Well Storm Shadow?" The Doctor's low and chilling voice asked impatiently; Storm Shadow turned towards the man with a small triumphant smile,

"She got the message." He informed. The Doctor gave a soft chuckle,

"Good….very good." The Doctor stated, feeling quite pleased that his plan was working. He then turned away from Storm Shadow to check up on a file that was lying on a table, "You know….originally I going to use a new recruited Viper to get this job done but James McCullen insisted that you should be the one to handle the task."

"I've never failed in completing a mission." Storm Shadow calmly pointed out.

"Which is why we're sending you now; though I must admit….." The Doctor began as he looked up from the file to glance over where Storm Shadow stood, "….I will be quite interested in seeing how you'll take care of it." he stated.

"She won't be anything I can't handle I assure you." Storm Shadow replied.

"Well I'd hope so." James McCullen's voice spoke up as he walked into the room with the other two men, "It'd be very ironic for you to have been able to hack into the War College's system and get out unidentified but get bested by a young woman." He stated with his heavy accented voice. Storm Shadow turned his dark eyes upon McCullen,

"Like I said before, there's nothing she could do that I won't be able to use against her. Bringing her in will be as simple as plucking a rose off its bush." He coolly replied.

"Ah but be mindful…..every rose has its thorns." The Doctor quickly threw back with a soft chuckle. A small smirk pulled at Storm Shadow's mouth,

"Well then….." he spoke, "…..I won't hesitate to dethorn the rose if necessary." He finished while he brought out of his many throwing stars and let the blades spin suggestively. Both McCullen and The Doctor seemed satisfied with his response and gave a soft nod of approval,

"Do what you must Storm Shadow." McCullen ordered, "Just be sure that whatever you do it is concealed. Her father has some very powerful connections and if he finds out that foul play has been committed against his own daughter that could arouse some trouble for us in many directions and we can't afford that." McCullen swiftly reminded him. Storm Shadow gave a soft nod of his head in understanding,

"Of course." He agreed.

"One more thing…." The Doctor quickly spoke up once more, "….I don't want her completely maimed. She'll need to be in complete health for what will be coming towards her upon arrival here. So if she gets to be too much of a handful, drug her."

"It will be done." Storm Shadow answered before his holographic figure faded from scene.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4:

The next few days for Isabella were extremely irritating for her. She was following General Speice's orders by working at home and that bugged her greatly and on top of that, though she loved her parents dearly, they've been doing constant check-ups on her every few hours.

"I am a trained and experienced young military solider," she grumbled to herself as she aggressively typed on her laptop, "I don't need to be monitored like this!" Isabella muttered as she finished typing up one of her daily reports. She hit the 'send' button on the top of the screen and sent her work to her father's computer who would eventually review it and have it filed. Then she sat back and let out a bored sigh; there's not much one can do when working at home. Feeling restless, Isabella closed her laptop and set it aside before she rose from her seat at the kitchen table where she was working at and headed for her bedroom. Inside, she quickly changed into a purple sports bra and black running shorts with tennis shoes and quickly tied her long hair back into a high ponytail before she snatched up her IPod from her nightstand and left as quickly as she entered. She was at the front door in one minuet and out of it in a second; outside was sunny and cool and the moment her feet reached the sidewalk in front of her small apartment, Isabella took off at a run. While running she slipped the earphones into both her ears and blasted an upbeat song while she kept up her fast pace; a small pulled at her lips as she clearly enjoyed the feeling of working out, to her running was exhilarating. She ran down the street till she found the turnoff which would take her back onto a mountain trail behind the apartment lodgings. She cleanly left the firm cement sidewalk and found her feet running on the rugged dirt trail which led into the trees. Isabella followed the trail up the mountains and back down, running nonstop for a little more than an hour and a half. When she finally left the trail road and headed back for her apartment, her face was flushed and sweat dripped down from her forehead and trickled down her exposed torso which was nicely toned for a young woman of her age; Most of the Marines that she worked with always looked at her with admiration when it came to her physical being, she had what could only be described as the perfect body with both muscle and full curves. As she approached her apartment she slowed her pace to a walk to cool down before she marched up to her front door and reentered her home. Naturally, Isabella headed straight for the kitchen to grab a large glass of water which she took back with her into her room where she then went for the bathroom and started a shower. She chugged the water down in a few deep gulps and set the empty glass down on the sink before she started stripping off her work out attire. Once she stood naked and had let her hair down from the ponytail, she swiftly walked over and stepped into the steaming shower. She grabbed some shampoo and conditioner and began washing her hair efficiently; once her hair had been rinsed of all the soap, she picked up a sponge and poured some bodywash onto it that smelled like white gardenia before she scrubbed her body down, washing away all the grime and sweat she had picked up when back on the trails. Then after she had rinsed off once more, she turned the hot water off and stepped out of the shower. The moment the chilly air hit her wet and exposed body, Isabella shivered softly before she snatched up a large towel and wrapped it around her entire torso and then she grabbed a smaller one which she used to wrap her hair in. Isabella swiftly walked out of the bathroom and into her bedroom and headed for her closet; on her way across the room she glanced at the clock, it read 5:56 and as Isabella just remembered, it was Friday.

"The Birthday Ball is tonight…." She mumbled out loud as she reached her closet and opened it up. She rummaged through its contents in deep thought before she came across the gown she had planned to wear to the grand event. A sincere smile came across her face and she carefully pulled the floor length gown out and walked over to her bed to neatly lay it out. It was an off the shoulder satin gown with a clean scoop neckline complete with a full ball gown skirt and what made Isabella even more happier was the fact that the gown was in one of her favorite colors, a deep sky blue. Isabella Then went to her dresser and pulled out a white strapless bra with matching lace panties; with her underwear tucked over one arm, she went back into the bathroom to get semi-dressed. Once that task was done, Isabella freed her still damp hair from the towel and ran a comb through it before she started up a hairdryer to dry her hair. It took close to about 15 minuets before her hair was completely dry and ran smoothly down her back in soft, silky waves. Then with a couple hair ties and some bobby pins, she skillfully styled her long hair up into a neat bun with a few loose curls left hanging down by her cheeks to give her a more elegant look. She did her makeup next, applying first some mascara and eyeliner before topping it off with a soft brush of metallic blue eye shadow on her eyelids. After that, Isabella walked over to her bathroom door and pulled on her bathrobe before she left the room itself. It was now around 6:20 and the Birthday ball would be starting at 7, though Isabella didn't plan on showing up till about 8. So knowing she had some free time to just relax, Isabella left her bedroom and went into her living room where she took a seat on the couch there and turned on the TV for some amusement. She browsed through the TV's selections before she settled on the show called 'CSI Los Vegas'; this show always kept her amused because it allowed her to use her observation skills. And so for the next hour and a half she simply laid back and watched. When the clock read 7:28, Isabella turned off the TV and got off the couch before she made her way back into her bedroom to finish getting dressed for the evening. After shedding her robe from her body, Isabella reached for the ball gown and took it off its hanger before she slowly undid the laces on its corseted back; then once it was loose enough, Isabella carefully slid the gown over her head and watched as the skirt filled out nicely as it hung around her hips. Now that she was fully dressed, she reached behind her back and laced up the back of the gown so that it clung to her every curve and emphasized her small waist. Isabella then accessorized with a pair of crystal dangly earrings and choker. Feeling very satisfied with her appearance, Isabella then walked back over to her closet to pull out the final touches for her outfit, first was a pair of blue silk gloves that would stop at her elbows and last but not least was the matching mask that she had picked out for the special occasion. After she had slipped on some silver heels, Isabella left her room with her mask clutched in one hand, ready for the evening. She gracefully left her apartment and strolled out to her car which she soon climbed in and started up. It was now 7:58 and it would take her about 20 minuets to drive to the Club where the Ball was being held at. The drive there was swift since there wasn't a lot of traffic and as she pulled into her reserved parking place right outside the large building she could already tell that there was going to be quite a few people there tonight, cars were parked everywhere. Isabella turned off her car's engine and picked up her mask which she then secured on her face before she opened up the car door and slid on out. The night's air was cool like normal with a slight breeze every now in then; as she gracefully approached the two doors leading inside the Club she was greeted formally by the doormen before allowed to enter. She passed into the entrance way and made her way over to the ballroom which she charmingly entered; her turquoise eyes scanned the many masked faces in the room with amusement as she made her way around the groups of people. Some glanced her way and offered her a polite smile which she returned before she stopped at a particular group of Marine Officers whom she could recognize even with masks on,

"General Speice, General Wright how nice it is to see you this evening." She greeted formally with a teasing smile. Both masked men turned toward the young woman before them,

"Ah now what do we have here? I was unaware that royalty would be joining us this evening." General Wright teased back with a fatherly grin, on his face he wore a simple black mask that went along with his black and red Marine uniform; General Speice looked just as similar,

"Yes indeed, what an honor it is to be in such a fine lady's presence." General Speice agreed. Isabella gave a soft laugh and shook her head,

"The honor is all mine, gentlemen." She replied. General Wright smiled approvingly before he held his arms out to his daughter, who stepped into them and gave her father a hug,

"You looked very beautiful tonight, Bella." Her father stated proudly as the two pulled away.

"Well it's good to know that the almost thee hours I had spent prepping for it paid off." She lightly replied making both men chuckle. Her father than offered his arm out to her which she took before he escorted her over to their reserved table. He helped her take a seat before he and General Speice joined her at the table.

"So how has everything been for you this past week, Lieutenant?" General Speice asked.

Isabelle gave a soft shrug, "Eh….it's been rather quiet and dull actually. I've certainly been missing work at the office." She confessed. Both men gave her a soft sympathetic smile,

"Well to be quite honest, your presence has been missed as well. Things aren't as…..well lively when you're not around." General Speice acknowledged. Her father nodded his head in agreement,

"But on the bright side," he interjected, "The General here and I believe that it is ok for you to return to work again. So far no threats have been made and nothing else that is out of the ordinary has been occurring." Her father stated. A huge grin came across Isabella's face,

"Yay!" she happily stated, before formally adding, "Er….thank you Generals." Both men smiled and nodded while chuckling at the young woman.

The evening went on as such; it was filled with pleasant conversation and laughter. When the Marine's band started to play music and people began dancing, General Speice left to find his wife while Isabella's father escorted her out onto the dance floor. Once their dance ended, her father glanced at his wrist watch and explained to her how he must leave because he had promised her mother that he wouldn't stay out all night. Isabella nodded in understanding and walked her dad out of the club to his car where she gave him a goodnight's kiss on the cheek,

"Night Dad." She murmured.

"Goodnight sweetheart. Try not staying out too late yourself, ok?" he asked. Isabella smirked but nodded,

"Yes sir." She promised mischievously. Her father grinned and rolled his eyes before he got into his car and started up the engine. Isabella stood and watched his car until he drove out of sight, then she turned around and walked back into the Club. As she reentered the decorative ballroom, she glanced over a large grandfather clock which now read 10:57. Silently, Isabella weaved her way through the groups of chattering people and just as she was about to head back over to her table, a man mysteriously stepped out of nowhere and blocked her path. Isabella came to a quick stop and instinctively looked the man over; he was dressed in an all white suit with a white mask that was pulled up over his mouth and nose and covered his head. All that Isabella could really take notice was his dark eyes. She met his gaze with her own and offered him a polite smile,

"Sir." She greeted formally. The man gave a silent nod before he extended his hand out for her to take,

"Dance with me." He softly ordered. Isabella glanced down at the open hand before she slowly placed her hand in it. Without another word, the man in white escorted her out onto the dance floor before he took her by the waist and held onto one of her hands in the proper form of ballroom dancing; Isabella placed her other hand up upon the man's broad shoulder before he began leading them in a simple slow dance. They spoke not a single word to each other but instead stared intensely at the other one's face, carefully analyzing each others form. Finally, Isabella was the one who broke the silence between them

"So…..let me guess, "She began calmly, "….. you're the mystery man who texted my phone Monday night.." She stated. Isabella watched as the man's mouth beneath his masked turned up in a soft smirk,

"Surprised to see me?" He answered; Isabella shook her head,

"Not really no but I am most curious about **who** you are. I've never seen you around before so that makes me wonder how you got a hold of my number in the first place." She answered frankly.

The man in white smirked again, "Let's just say I'm a man with many connections."

Isabella's eyebrow rose softly at his answer, "Connections that allowed you to hack into the War College computer system?" she boldly threw out. The man chuckled,

"Possibly." He answered.

"Well aren't you the mysterious type." She stated as her eyes narrowed softly but still kept her elegant composure.

"It's all apart of the job." He lazily replied.

"And what job is that?" she asked curiously as her head cocked itself to the side to study the man in white before her. The man leaned in slightly and lowered his voice,

"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you." He answered calmly.

"Ah…." Isabella replied. Though she recognized the man's words as a popular joking phrase, there was no hint of playfulness in his tone; in fact it was rather serious which made Isabella naturally tense up inside. Once the song that they were dancing to came to an end, Isabella wasted no time in stepping away from the man in white, "Well….thank you for the lovely dance." She stated. The man's dark eyebrow rose softly but he nodded in response,

"Leaving so soon?" he quickly asked. Isabella straightened up,

"Yes I'm afraid so. I have some important business that I need to attend to. So you'll just have to excuse me…." She finished explaining and quickly turned away before she walked off and exited the ballroom. "So he was the one who broke into the N.W.C…." she thought to herself, "….contacted me….but made no demands besides meeting up with him tonight…." Isabella glanced over her shoulder quickly before she quickened her pace and practically ran out of the club to her car, "He's after something." She concluded as she reached her car and opened up the driver's side door before she swiftly climbed inside her vehicle. She started the car up and switched it into reverse so she could smoothly pull out of the parking spot she was in; then once her path was clear, Isabella drove off. As she passed onto the almost empty highway, Isabella pressed down on the gas and sped down the road, "Of all the nights to leave my phone at home…." She swore under her breath as she realized how important it was to get a hold of either her father or General Speice at the moment. Once she made the turn off the highway and found herself driving down her street, Isabella quickly pulled up in front of her apartment before shutting the engine of her car off and climbing out of the vehicle. As she jogged up to her front door, with the skirt of her gown clutched in both her hands, she heard the growing roar of a larger vehicle speeding down the street towards her home. Instinctively, she glanced behind her shoulder to see a large black and unfamiliar box car braking in front her apartment. Isabella spun away and threw open her front door before she ran inside and slammed it shut while locking it shut with the deadbolt.

"Well this can't be good!" she swore out loud before she picked up her long gown and ran into her kitchen where she hastily began rummaging around in some drawers. Outside, Isabella could hear the distinctive sound of a car door opening up and slamming shut. She yanked a final drawer open and gave a huffed sigh of relief before she reached inside and pulled out one of her many pistols that she owned. She took the safety off it and checked to make sure it was fully loaded before she took the weapon and ran for her bedroom. Inside she closed the door and for a few seconds set her gun down on her bed so that she could use both hands and tear her ball gown off her body. Then she swiftly sought out a pair of skinny jeans and her blue cami which she threw on before she again picked up her gun and readied herself for the worst. Then something hit her,

"Where's my blasted phone?!" she swore as her eyes searched all around for any sign of her phone but it was nowhere in sight. Thinking that she may have left it somewhere in the living room or kitchen, Isabella silently walked over to her bedroom door and cracked it open before she peered out; there was nothing but silence. Carefully, Isabella took up her gun in both hands so that it was at the ready before she snuck out of her bedroom. So far everything looked normal, no forced intrusion, nothing; When Isabella made it back to the kitchen to begin her search for her phone once more, she picked up the faint sound of movement coming at her from behind. With a finger on the gun's trigger, Isabella skillfully spun about, caught a flash of white in her vision and fired. Before she could blink, her bullet was dodged and the intruder whipped out his own weapon which Isabella recognized as a Katana.

"Oh shit!" she swore before she took up a fighting stance and pointed her gun at the intruder once more. Knowing what her move was going to be, the man took a powerful swipe at her with his Katana, effectively knocking her gun right out from her hands. Isabella watched as her only weapon flew across the room and naturally she made a move for it. But just as she made her move to dive for her weapon, the intruder picked up a large dark blanket from her couch and charged; he threw the material over Isabella's head so that it blinded and restrained her ability to move her arms and upper body in general so that he could catch her in his arms and throw her over his shoulder. Isabella let out a soft cry of protest before she wildly began thrashing about, trying to escape the man's hold as well as her binding. But his guy was strong and would not ease up. Before she knew it, Isabella was taken out of her house and roughly thrown into the back of the black vehicle. She heard her captor climb inside after her before he uttered a sharp single word.

"Drive!" the intruder's voice commanded. As Isabella heard the car start up and felt it take off down the road, away from her home, her arms fought for their freedom from the blanket. Once her arms had found a way out of the material, she yanked the blanket off her body and tossed it away before she tried jumping to her feet. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist from behind before they tugged her close. Isabella felt a firm, rock hard chest press into her back as her captor held her close to his body; it made her furious. She used all her strength to pry the arms away that were keeping her caged in but soon found one of her captor's hands holding a piece of white cloth which he raised up to cover her mouth and nose. She gave another quick cry against the hand holding the cloth as she briefly inhaled and detected the sweet but bitter scent of Chloroform. After another minuet of struggling, Isabella found her vision going blurry before she fell unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5:

As the black car pulled came to a stop, it hit a small pothole causing Isabella's limp head to lightly bounce against the floor which instantly brought her around. Her turquoise eyes snapped open, at first in confusion but after a few seconds she remembered what had happened. When Isabella tried pushing herself to a sitting up position on the floor, she found that both of her hands had been tightly secured in front of her. Her eyes narrowed at the restraining bonds before her mouth turned down in an irritated frown. The car's back door was suddenly thrown open, causing Isabella to jump slightly before her head turned to face her captor; a deep loathing settled within her as her eyes landed on the man dressed in white,

"I should've known that you'd be behind this." She snapped at him. With his mask down this time, the man smirked triumphantly before he reached into the car and grabbed Isabella by her arm and forcefully pulled her out of the vehicle. The moment her feet touched solid cement, her knees buckled slightly before she steadied herself and glared dangerously at the man in white while jerking her arm out of his grasp. He made a soft disapproving clicking noise with his mouth and shook his head,

"Now let's not be difficult." He stated with amusement behind his dark eyes as he took hold of Isabella once more, "Walk." He ordered as he gave her a nudge forward. Isabella faced front as she let her feet carry her to wherever her captor was directing. While they walked, Isabella quickly eyed her surroundings; they were in the middle of a clearing, far from any road and civilization and less then 50 feet from a large jet which they were approaching; its ramp was already down and waiting for them. Isabella felt another vigorous push against her back which took her up into the ship and once inside it, the ship's door closed behind them. Isabella barely had a second to glance back at it before the man in white took her firmly by the arm and practically dragged her over to one of the seats lying in the ship. He carelessly tossed her into one, forcing her to sit down before he turned away and called up to the pilots,

"Take off!" he ordered, "Set a course for the base." Once the order was given out, he turned back around to study Isabella. His head cocked itself to the side slightly as his dark eyes traced over her features which were radiating with anger. "You sure are a funny one." He stated as he crossed his arms over his chest, a small smirk pulling at his mouth. Isabella's eyes narrowed and she opened he mouth to make a vey rude response but was cut off as a life size holographic showing of a man dressed in a suit appeared out of nowhere.

"Was it a success, Storm Shadow?" James McCullen asked. Isabella's mouth dropped open slightly before she glanced over at the man in white who nodded and with a slight jerk of his head, signaled over to where she sat,

"You tell me." He answered. Both men turned and looked down at Isabella who in turn, glared up at them. James McCullen quickly eyed her before he nodded his head in approval,

"Very good." He stated, "And she hasn't been causing much trouble for you?" he asked as he turned his attention back on the young woman.

"It was nothing that I couldn't handle." Storm Shadow replied. James McCullen looked back over at Storm Shadow,

"You've done well. Just make sure that when you bring her to the base, she's to be completely unaware of its location." He reminded.

"Of course." With that said, James McCullen faded from scene. Isabella raised an eyebrow up at the tall man in white standing before her,

"Storm Shadow, huh?" she repeated his name, "….what kind of name is that?" she asked. Storm Shadow also arched an eyebrow before retorting,

"What kind of name is Strider?" At the mention of her military nickname, Isabella tensed up,

"How the hell did you know that?" she demanded. Storm Shadow smirked softly,

"Oh we know quite a bit about you, actually." He answered in a laid back tone before he took a seat in a chair directly in front of Isabella; Storm Shadow placed both of his hands comfortably behind his neck as he leaned back against the chair and closed his dark eyes.

"Well that's a comforting fact right there." She grumbled softly as she stared down at her bound hands and tried to secretly loosen the cords,

"Don't even try it." Storm Shadow's voice spoke out suddenly as he opened one of his eyes to glance over at Isabella. Isabella instantly ceased her efforts and forced an innocent look upon her face,

"Try what?" she asked sweetly as her eyes narrowed softly in defiance. Storm Shadow smiled and let out a soft chuckle before closing his eye again,

"Good cover." He knowingly stated. She let out a huffed sigh before she irritably leaned back against her chair. Isabella sat quietly, impatiently, thinking of ways she could try and escape for the next two hours. She ran the ideas and stages through her head before she gave up, thinking planning won't do any good till she knows exactly where she's being taken to. A device on Storm Shadow's person started beeping which woke him up from his nap; he reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out the device before he glanced at the screen,

"We'll be arriving shortly." He casually stated as he stood up from his seat and put his device away once more. He swiftly strolled out of the area and entered the cockpit and spoke a few soft words with the pilots before he came back out, carrying something in his hand. Isabella could see that he was holding something but she couldn't make out what it was until he was directly in front of her holding it out for her to see; her eyes widened and her body tensed up,

"So sorry about this but it's simply for precautions." He stated as he held up the long syringe. Isabella shook her head before she sent him a deadly warning with her eyes. Storm Shadow reached one hand out and firmly took her by the neck before he forced her head back, completely exposing her neck. Isabella hissed through her teeth before she started jerking her body around in his grip; Storm Shadow painfully tightened his hold, securing Isabella to her seat before he brought the needle down and stuck it into her neck. She let out a soft yelp as the needle pierced deep through sensitive skin and tissue before it injected its contents into her blood stream. By the time Storm Shadow had removed the needle from her neck, Isabella was out cold…..

The moment their ship had landed, Storm Shadow scooped Isabella up into his arms and carried her off the jet. A gust of freezing, snowy air hit them dead on when he had stepped off the ramp causing him to naturally quicken his long strides so that he could get out of the bad weather. Once he entered the opening into the ice cave, a viper solider activated a secret door which opened up to him, giving him access into the Cobra's Base. As he came through the main door he was greeted by both James McCullen and The Doctor.

"Ah good….." the Doctor spoke, "…you've made it." he stated. Storm Shadow nodded silently before he glanced down on the young woman in his arms,

"Of course." He replied, "….so what do you want me to do with the sleeping beauty?" he returned. The Doctor chuckled softly before he signaled Storm Shadow to follow him with a wave of his hand,

"I have her cell already prepared for her. Follow me." The Doctor answered as he turned and led the way further into the base. Storm Shadow and McCullen obediently followed the doctor until they came to a single door cell. It opened with a soft hiss before the three men entered the small room. The only piece of furniture inside it was a simple black cot; the rest of the room was grey with a metal floor.

"If you will." The Doctor offered Storm Shadow as he directed the white ninja to place the unconscious woman on the cot. Storm Shadow did so without hesitation and was considerate enough to carefully set her down upon it. "Thank you." The Doctor finished as he stepped up to the side of the cot to study Isabella's limp form; Storm Shadow moved away till he stood leaning against the cell's doorframe. "How long has she been out?" he asked curiously as he reached two fingers down to check the pulse in her neck. A strong and healthy flutter moved beneath his touch and he straightened up, feeling satisfied with her physical state,

"No more than 30 minuets." Storm Shadow answered lazily.

"And there were no complications?" The Doctor questioned persistently.

"None what's so ever." The white ninja assured.

"Excellent." Spoke the very pleased Doctor before he turned away from the cot and walked back over to the cell's door,

"Aren't you going to wake her up, Doctor?" McCullen asked curiously as he and Storm Shadow exited the small holding cell.

"She'll come around…….eventually. Right now I have a few last preparations I need to make now that she's here. And it will be easier to get them done when she's still out of it then trying to do it when she's awake and on the alert." He explained casually as he typed in a code into the keypad outside the cell which closed and locked the door tightly.

"Well then while you're doing that, I'll send a message to NATO about the warheads and have the Baroness ready with some men to recover the case." McCullen stated before he broke away from the group and went in the opposite direction. The Doctor turned around to face Storm Shadow, who was waiting patiently for orders,

"Keep a sharp out and be at the ready should your assistance be needed." The Doctor informed. Storm Shadow nodded his head silently before he too turned and walked off in a different direction, leaving the doctor to walk back to his lab alone.

(25 minuets later…….)

Isabella's cell door slid open with a quick hiss before The Doctor strolled on into the room carrying with him a silver tray. He walked over to the bed and bent over to carefully place the tray on the ground before he picked up the small bottle on it and unscrewed the cap off its top. He leaned over Isabella's sleeping form, bringing the vial about an inch away from her nose where he let the unpleasant aroma draw Isabella back to senses….

An incredibly strong scent, one that was even fouler then the smell of nail polish remover, drifted up into Isabella's nose; she had unknowingly inhaled the fume in through a deep breath before her body jerked itself awake. Her head instinctively turned away from the horrid smell, her eyes were closed tightly and her nose had scrunched up in displeasure.

"Welcome back to the Land of the Living, my dear." A male voice spoke, bringing her to her fullest attention. Isabella forced her eyes opened before she turned her head in the direction of the voice; her vision was still unfocused and blurry from the effects of the drug she had been injected with but she could still make out the tall figure dressed in black hovering above her. She blinked a few times which helped clear her vision before she tried to sitting up; she had completely forgotten that her hands were still tied so she ended up collapsing back onto the cot with a groan. The man in black chuckled,

"Take it easy now." He spoke, "….that drug can have some pretty nasty effects." He stated. Isabella glared up at the man before she brushed her tongue across her dry lips and tried again. This time, she managed to sit up properly but her body felt drained of strength and she had to resort to using the wall behind her to hold her up. She bowed her head in exhaustion before she swallowed and realized how parched and sore her throat was. When she lifted her head up to look up at the man in black he was kneeling before her with a knife, cleanly cutting through her bonds and then extending a small glass of water out for her to take. Isabella eyed the glass suspiciously as she rubbed her now free wrists, trying to get some circulation back into them before she reached a hand out and firmly pushed the glass away from her.

"No…" she determinedly murmured. The man chuckled, it was a low chilling sound that made Isabella's flesh crawl,

"Come now, there's no need to be difficult." He began, "…it's just water." He promised. Isabella swallowed again and shook her head while she tried turning her body away from the man before. Now that her vision was back, she quickly noted the mask that he wore over his face for what she guessed was there for necessary reasons. "Drink it." he ordered. Isabella glanced over at him out of the corner of her eye, giving him a look of pure insubordination. The man sat back on his heels, "Fine." He stated as reached a black gloved hand out and roughly took Isabella by her jaw. At the sudden hostility, Isabella tightly sealed her mouth off; the man forced her head back and used some surprising pressure on her cheeks which forced her to involuntarily open her mouth. He held her mouth open long enough to put the glass to her lips and pour some water inside; though physically, Isabella was lacking the strength to fight the man off, she used what strength she did have to make things hell for the man in front of her. Refusing to swallow the contents in her mouth, Isabella pushed the top part of mouth out and spat the liquid out through her teeth. The man let go as his face was sprayed with the water before made a low growling sound from his throat and resorted to a different method. He reached down to his tray and picked up a needleless syringe which he swiftly filled with water from the glass before he violently seized Isabella once more and forced her back against the wall. With one hand he held the syringe while he used the other to painfully pry open Isabella's mouth. When the opening in her mouth was big enough, he once again forced her head back before he stuck the syringe inside and had it pointing down her throat. He squirted the contents directly down her it before he used his hand to lightly massage her throat muscles to make her swallow the liquid. Finally, reluctantly Isabella downed the water and once she did, the man in black pulled away.

"Now was that so hard?" he irritably stated as he placed his syringe back down on the tray.

"Who are you?" Isabella demanded while she ran a hand across her mouth from where the water had dripped down her chin from her struggles,

"A Doctor," He casually replied, "…nothing else." The Doctor reached out for Isabella again, his hand going for her throat; Isabella stiffened and smacked his advancing hand away,

"Don't touch me!" she threatened, her turquoise eyes narrowing in a deadly warning; the Doctor chuckled,

"My, my, my aren't you the tense one." He stated with amusement, "I was merely going to check your pulse." He confessed casually.

"Listen Doctor, if I wanted to get a physical, I would've gone to a Clinic on base." She boldly pointed out. The Doctor cocked his head to the side as he studied Isabella's face,

"Well think of it this way, your on a base right now, and with me being a doctor, you're in a Clinic." He smartly threw back as his hand reached out once more and found the pulsating spot on the side of her neck. He held his two fingers there for a few seconds before another chuckle escaped from his mask,

"Nervous Lieutenant?" he mockingly stated as he drew his hand away. Isabella raised her own hand up and covered the place where his hand had just been, feeling the fast fluttering of her heart herself.

"Nervous isn't how I would put it." she grumbled; which was in fact true, she wasn't nervous, just a bit jumpy from all that's been happening to her in last few hours.

"Mmm….." the Doctor murmured to himself as he considered her answer. Then he collected his tray off the ground and rose to his full height above her, "Well despite the fact that your body is still recovering from the drugs, everything else seems to be in perfect order." He addressed as he turned and walked over to the cell door which slid automatically slid open for him. "I'll be back for you in a little while so please feel free to get settled in, Lieutenant." He mockingly finished before leaving the cell; the door sealed itself shut with a hiss and then everything was quiet. Isabella stared across at that closed door blankly, knowing full well now that she was going to be stuck here for some time.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6:

Isabella didn't know how many hours she had spent alone inside her dull and chilly cell. It could've just been a couple of hours but to her it was starting feel like days were going by. Pretty soon restlessness settled over her like a thickening fog and she found herself up off the cot, pacing back and forth across the cell room like a wild tiger that was just caged the first time in her life. Just when she got to the point of wanting to beat down the metal cell door with her bare hands, it slid open with a hiss; Isabella jumped back slightly before her hands instinctively curled themselves into fists at her side, bracing herself in case she needed to attack. When The Doctor walked right inside carrying with him another tray, one that had some food on it this time, Isabella scowled.

"Hungry?" The Doctor asked over his shoulder as he went and placed the tray down on top of the cot. Defensively, Isabella's arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest as her eyes narrowed,

"If I say no, you gonna force that down my throat?" she snapped back as she gave a quick nod at the tray. The Doctor chuckled before he turned around to face Isabella,

"No, I'm afraid it won't be able to work that way," he answered calmly, "…..not without killing you in the process at least." He added sickeningly. Isabella's eyes narrowed even more at the threat before she cautiously approached the cot to examine the contents on the tray; it was a very simple looking meal which consisted of a slice of a sub like sandwich and a glass of water. Isabella eyed the food with great suspicion.

"It's poisoned." She softly declared, "…..that or drugged up with something." She added guessingly. The Doctor threw his head back and laughed,

"Now what makes you think that?" he asked, "If we had wanted you dead my dear, you would not be standing here today. Oh no, you are far too valuable to kill at the moment." He explained, "As for it being drugged, that is not the case either. Why would we put you to sleep when we need you to be fully awake and functioning?" he evenly pointed out.

"How should I know? You've yet to tell me why you had me brought here in the first place!" Isabella irritably threw back.

"All in good time, my dear." The Doctor answered, brushing the comment off. "Now eat." He ordered, "….it's rude to decline such generous hospitality." He mockingly scolded.

"Generous hospitality?!" Isabella snapped, "Is that what you call having me jumped by one of your henchmen, thrown into the back of some car, forced on a jet, drugged twice only to awake in this God-forsaken place? You find that generous?!"

"Compared to what could've happened? Yes." He coolly answered. Isabella rolled her eyes before she reached down and grabbed the glass of water. She put it to her lips and drained its contents in just a few gulps before she forcefully smacked it back on upon the tray.

"Happy?" she sarcastically declared. The Doctor shrugged,

"It's a start." He answered.

"It's all your getting." She grumbled defiantly. The Doctor chuckled,

"For now." He threw back, amusement clearly showing in his eyes. Isabella turned to face the doctor who stood just a few feet from her; her cheeks were flushing a rosy color because of her growing anger.

"That's it, you're asking for it Doctor!" she stated threateningly while boldly taking a step closer to the man in black before her. He simply laughed and took a step back,

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you." He said, "…it's going to get you into trouble." He warned as he clasped both of his hands behind his back. Isabella was so caught up in glaring at the man before her that she failed to hear the cell door slide open,

"Between you and me Doctor, I'm already in trouble." She declared, "Therefore I have nothing to lose." She stated in a low, dangerous voice while she balled one hand into a fist and raised it into the air to take a swing at the Doctor's head. Before she could let her fist fly, an iron grip from behind, caught her hand and twisted it painfully behind her back; Isabella hissed softly, her eyes closing against the uncomfortable force restraining her.

"Having some difficulties?" a familiar voice spoke from behind her. Isabella opened her eyes before she turned her body slightly to glance over her shoulder only to see Storm Shadow smirking softly at the scene.

"Nothing too serious, just a little rebellion." The Doctor replied in a casual tone, "Take her to my lab for the procedure. I'll be in there shortly." He added. Isabella opened her mouth to ask what on earth he meant by that but was suddenly forced to turn around then shoved out of her cell room door by Storm Shadow who kept his tight and unbreakable grip on her twisted arm so she wouldn't be able to try anything funny. The walk to the lab wasn't a long one but they did have to cover quite a bit of distance. When they passed through two automatic doors which slid open to them as they approached, Isabelle found herself walking into a fairly large room filled with all sorts of equipment and machinery both medical and scientifically. Storm Shadow directed her over to a long, white laid back chair; it resembled what one would find in a dentist office.

"Sit." He ordered as he started to force her back into the chair; Naturally, she resisted but she was no match against his strength as long as he had her arm restrained in his grasp. She fell back into the chair with a soft grunt before she finally jerked her arm away from Storm Shadow who complied and let her go. But he stayed close so that she couldn't get the chance to get up and run off.

"Why am I here?" she asked in a surprisingly calm voice.

"You'll find out for yourself." He replied lazily, his dark eyes set intensely upon her face.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just inform me right now?" she questioned.

"Ah but that would ruin the surprise he has in store for you." He returned. Isabella rolled her eyes before she frowned,

"I don't think I can take anymore surprises coming from you guys…." She grumbled under her breath as her head turned about to look around the room. A few awkward and silent minuets passed between the two before the lab door opened and three men walked inside room; one was the Doctor, the other was a man Isabella remembered from the jet as James McCullen who was followed by a third man who she did not recognize. He was tall with incredibly short cut hair and he was whistling a very old tune. Isabella grew tense and alert when all three men, including Storm Shadow, were suddenly surrounding her in the chair.

"How she's fairing, Doctor?" McCullen asked as he thoroughly sized Isabella up,

"Perfectly healthy, in excellent condition; without a doubt she'll make one hell of a Viper." The Doctor answered. McCullen glanced over at the doctor,

"Well I hope so. We've gone through quite a bit of trouble to get her here in the first place." McCullen stated.

"And exactly who is she?" the third man asked as he quickly looked Isabella over.

"Zartan," the Doctor began, "Meet our soon-to-be newest recruit to the Cobra's forces, Isabella Wright." He introduced. Isabella quietly gasped at the Doctor's words before her hands curled into fists again in silent protest. The man named Zartan raised an eyebrow at the information before he turned his attention back onto the young woman in front of him.

"A recruit huh?" he repeated. "And where did we pick up this delicate flower from?" he asked as he reached a hand out to Isabella and let a few of his fingers graze down her soft, warm cheek. At the contact, Isabella's eyes narrowed before her arms shot out and gripped onto Zartan's outstretched arm; she skillfully used his heavier build to twist her body sideways in the chair and land a powerfully kick to his chest. Zartan grunted and stumbled back before he crashed into a small mobile table a few feet away and toppled to the floor. Storm Shadow smirked, The Doctor chuckled while McCullen looked both surprised and pleased at the sudden action,

"More like a wild tigress if you ask me, Zartan." McCullen amusedly corrected while Zartan furiously pushed himself off the ground and got back to his feet.

"Someone ought to restrain that bitch!" he spat venomously as he pointed a finger at Isabella who in return sat up straighter in the chair,

"Bring it, Tarzan!" she boldly challenged.

"It's Zartan!" he hissed back.

"Whoops, don't care." She remotely answered. Zartan's eyes narrowed as he took a menacing step towards her but stopped when he heard Storm Shadow chuckling to himself on the other side of the room now.

"What you think this is funny ninja boy?" he demanded sharply. Storm Shadow ceased his soft laughter and shrugged,

"I never get tired of seeing you get your ass kicked, Zartan." He answered, "…..so having it done by a young woman makes it even more humorous." He finished honestly. Isabella's gaze went from Storm Shadow to Zartan who was absolutely fuming with rage. While the two men had a silent stare down, McCullen walked around the chair Isabella sat in and headed over to where the Doctor stood at one of the many computers he had in his lab.

"Has she always been like this, Doctor?" McCullen asked curiously.

"No, I must say this is the first act of aggression I've seen from her since arrival here at Base." The Doctor answered as he began typing something into the computer screen. "Uh Zartan, will you do the honors of helping our young lady friend here get…..comfortable in her seat?" he added without looking up from the computer he was working at.

Isabella barely had enough to glance over her shoulder to glare at the doctor before two strong hands grabbed her from the front and forced her to lie back in the chair. Zartan painfully held one arm still, out by her side before he clasped it down by a built in metal cuff. All at once Isabella panicked; she thrashed and kicked out but to no prevail. Zartan was just about to lock the other cuff around her wrist when an idea came to her at the last minuet; Isabella stretched her arm out as far as it could go. When Zartan actually did the clasp, it was done four inches above her wrist; Isabella was now tied down. Zartan leaned back slightly to admire his effort with a satisfied smirk playing across his face; he then linked both of his hands together and cracked his knuckles loudly,

"Not so tough now, are you sweetheart?" he asked mockingly. Isabella angrily jerked against the cuffs in response,

"Come and say that to my face!" she exclaimed in anger, "See what happens!" she threatened. Zartan laughed and shook his head in amusement,

"Feisty little thing aren't you?" he asked as he stepped up to the chair once more to hover over Isabella's form; Isabella fearlessly glared up at him. Zartan smirked before he lowered his head down to Isabella's so that their faces were mere inches apart, "It's a pity I won't be able to break you myself." He stated. In a flash, Isabella snapped her head forward in a surprisingly powerful headbutt. Zartan's head was thrown back slightly at the force before he let out a hiss of pain and raised a hand up to cover the bruising spot on his forehead. The moment Zartan recovered, he swiftly brought his open hand down and roughly cuffed Isabella across the face. She didn't utter a sound when her head was painfully snapped to the side or when the sting of Zartan's blow settled over the entire left side of her face. Her eyes squeezed themselves closed for a brief second before they reopened and looked back up at Zartan defiantly.

"Ooh she can take a hit." McCullen stated in a pleased manner.

"Of course." The Doctor agreed before he turned to look over at Zartan, "You can go Zartan, your assistance is not needed at the moment." He added. Zartan grumbled something under his breath before he muttered a "fine" and turned away before storming out of the lab.

"I should go too. The case is being transported out of the NATO's facility even as we speak. The Baroness is awaiting orders and a team of Vipers must be prepared. I'll have them ready while you….do your thing, Doctor." McCullen stated before he glanced over at Storm Shadow who still stood by Isabella's form, "Come Storm Shadow, let us leave the Doctor to his work." He added. Storm Shadow let his dark eyes land on Isabella's face once more before he silently nodded his head. Then both he and McCullen disappeared from sight as well.

"Work?" Isabella repeated with distaste as she squirmed against the metal bindings holding her down, "What am I? A science project?" she demanded irritably. The Doctor chuckled before he at last left his computer and walked over to Isabella's helpless form.

"That's one way to look at it." he answered as he moved toward another small table and picked up something before coming back to stand beside the chair, looking down on Isabella. The Doctor reached down a hand down and before Isabella could object, he stuck a syringe right into her shoulder.

"Ouch!" she cried. "Hey!!" she yelled in angry protest as the Doctor slowly drew blood from her body into the tube of the syringe.

"Just running a few, last minuet tests." The Doctor explained casually as he withdrew the needle from her shoulder and took the blood-filled syringe back over to his computer. Isabella groaned in aggravation,

"Aren't you supposed to wait for consent before you start sticking and probing me with things? Because FYI, most doctors do!!" she stated.

"But then I'd just be waiting for your consent which we both know would never come and I'm a very busy man these days and can't afford to wait around for anything." He answered as he typed something else into his computer before he turned about and walked back over to the chair. Isabella turned her head so that she could look up at the Doctor's masked face,

"What exactly are your plans for me?" she asked in a slightly suspicious voice. The Doctor who was now looking down on what looked to be some kind of control pad in his hands pressed a few buttons and looked up; a high-tech machine that hung above Isabella slowly lowered itself from the ceiling. Isabella looked up too and for the first time since her captivity, grew nervous. The main two parts of the machine came down till they stopped just a foot and a half or so from her head.

"What the hell is that for?" she sharply demanded as she tore her gaze from the machine to look up at the Doctor once more.

"This is why you were brought here, Isabella." The Doctor answered as he began to slowly circle around the chair, "I'm going to make you into a Viper solider."

"A what?" Isabella exclaimed in confusion,

"A member of the Cobra's forces." He explained.

"Uh-uh, I'm quite happy being a Marine, thank you very much." She declared with certainty.

"But you are better than just a simple Marine, Isabella. You are highly skilled in things far beyond your years. It's a wonder why the Joes never picked you up." He stated.

"Who?" she questioned.

"We'll get to them later." The Doctor answered as he brushed the question off, "….but for now, let's begin the procedure." He quickly walked back over to his computer and once again began typing things in; the machine started up again and slowly started inching its way towards Isabella's head; she watched in horror as extremely long and sharp needles extended out of the machine, pointing directly at her skull. "You see Isabella; this machine will inject into you a couple million Nanomites."

"Why?" she asked in slight panic as she tried shrinking away from the needles.

"Because once they are inside your system, you will be under my complete control." He casually answered.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "That can't be possible!" she practically cried as she jerked against the cuffs.

"With Nanomite technology, anything's possible." He answered with excitement, "Since it was I who programmed them, I can make them do anything I want. Even control a living human being."

"I refuse to be your guys' puppet!!" she fiercely declared as she started struggling again; The Doctor chuckled,

"I'm afraid my dear, you don't have a choice." He answered.

"You can't do this!" she cried in anger and fear.

"Oh really now? Watch me Isabella Wright." The Doctor took a seat behind the computer that would control the machine before he sent the machine in for its sick job. Isabella froze as the needles were just about to pierce into her head; in an attempt to block the horrific scene out, she sealed her eyes shut.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7:

A loud voice sounded throughout the room as it came over on an intercom;

"Doctor you are needed in the control room immediately. Please come at once!" it ordered. Isabella heard him growl softly before he frantically pressed at keys on his computer and shut the machine down. When Isabella noted that no sharp object had pierced her yet, she cracked open a single eye and gasped; the needles had just barely stopped in time, they were so close that if she moved her head at all in either direction, the needles would mercilessly pierce into her skull. The Doctor hit another button and to Isabella's relief, the machine's needles retracted and were raised back above her head.

"It's always when I'm in the middle of something." He swore as he got up from his computer and stormed down towards the chair, "Well you're a lucky one, my dear. Looks like we'll have to finish this later." He stated as he walked right on past her and left his lab. Isabella watched until he was out of sight before she let out a quick sigh and shook her head,

"Like hell we will." She mumbled before she glanced down on her cuffed hands. Thanks to Zartan, when he did the clasp of the cuff around her right hand, he did it further up her arm then wrist and since the cuff sizes were, as Isabella noted in that second, adjustable it meant that if she pulled her arm back slightly, the cuff would slide down to her wrist, giving her enough space to possibly squeeze her hand free. Isabella gave the idea a shot and after a few minuets of forcing her hand back and forth, her right hand slid out of the cuff. "Yes!" she triumphantly cried before she turned her body over so that she could reach out and undo the second cuff. She yanked the metal binding off before she pulled her body out of the chair. The moment her feet touched the ground, Isabella quickly looked about the room; there was only two doors in the entire lab, one was the one she came through when Storm Shadow brought her in, the other was on the opposite side of the lab and where it led to was unknown to her. Isabella silently debated which one to use; with a soft growl of irritation, she spun about and headed for the second door which automatically slid open allowing her to rush on out of the lab. Isabella quickened her pace to a jog as she made her way down a long and empty hallway; her bare feet made soft padding noises across the cold metal floor. The hallway suddenly stopped and broke off into many different corridors going in practically every direction. Her eyes scanned each one for a clear path but she was rushed when she started hearing the muffled sound of voices coming down one of the hallways towards her. Isabella turned down the closet one heading away from what she assumed were approaching Viper soldiers. Their voices however, seemed to be following her; Isabella swore softly as her eyes frantically searched for another way out. They instantly spotted a fairly large silver door a few feet a head which she swiftly ran to and opened up. The moment the door slid open, Isabella threw herself inside the room and quickly had the door shut itself, hiding her from view. She kept her back against the door and pressed her ear to it to listen as the two Viper soldiers walked on by, chatting about something she couldn't catch. When she knew they were gone, she softly threw her head back against the door and sighed out loud before she allowing herself to quickly analyze the room she was hiding in. It looked like some type of supply closet when your eyes first take in the multiple, ceiling high shelving. But Isabella quickly realized that it wasn't just a supply closet.

"It's an armory…" she whispered to herself in what was both awe and shock. Half the room was filled with nothing but weapons, armor, and a whole lot of extra stuff that Isabella had never seen before while the other half had neatly stacked Viper uniforms. Isabella's turquoise eyes lit up as a brilliant idea came to her. She walked over to the piles of uniforms and pulled one down from the shelves. Isabella gave a quick check around the room for any security cameras before she took up the large black shirt that was apart of the uniform and threw it over her blue cami. It was way too big for her, needless to say but she decided that would be a good thing because the loose clothing would help hide her womanly curves while adding a bit more bulk to her figure. Next she slid on the smallest black pants she could find in the racks that even still were 5 sizes too big, over her skinny jeans and carefully secured them around her hips with a black belt. Once clothed, Isabella looked on the bottom shelf and found a pair of large black army boots.

"Everything in here is large…" she grumbled as she easily slid her petite feet into the huge shoes before she tucked the dragging hem of her black pants into the top of the boots. Isabella had to re-lace both boots so that they would not slid right off her feet when she walked and even when she had them done up so tightly that top part of the boot clung to her shins, her foot would still slide about inside boot itself. Isabella quickly checked herself over; yeah she'll look a bit scrawnier then the rest of the Viper soldiers she imagined but at least her identify would be safely hidden from view. The next thing Isabella put on was the heavy, protective armor, which was mainly a creepy but well built, bulletproof breastplate. Then she slid on a pair of black gloves. Though she was now looking like a Viper soldier, she knew that for her disguise to work she needed something else; her turquoise eyes quickly searched the shelves before they landed on probably what was that last part of a Viper soldier's uniform, a full face covering metal helmet.

"That could work." She murmured softly as she walked over and pulled one off the shelves. "Ugh…..looks like something a punk would wear on Halloween…" she muttered in distaste before she set the helmet on the ground and reached both hands up to her hair which had already started falling out of the bun she had placed it in the night before. With quick hands she undid all the bobby pins and pulled out the hairs ties, releasing her hair from its restraining style; for a few seconds she shook her head free before she tossed all her hair over one shoulder and skillfully twisted her long locks into a braid. With one hand, Isabella coiled the braid up her neck before she used her other to grasp the top of the metal helmet and bring it up over her head. Making sure that her hair would be safely tucked up inside the metal head covering, Isabelle put on the scary looking helmet. It took her a while to get use to looking out of the helmet's eye slots but she swiftly adjusted to it. Isabella smirked triumphantly behind the helmet before she walked over to the wall of weapons. As Isabella began rummaging through the multiple choices of weapons, she sarcastically sang inside her head,

"I feel pretty, oh so pretty…." Her voice carried off as she pulled out a large utility belt which she quickly snapped around her hips before she hooked on a couple handheld guns and explosives and naturally extra ammo. Then she carefully stuck a couple throwing knives into the top of her boots before she tucked a closed switchblade up into her sleeve. Just as she finished completely arming herself with all sorts of artillery, the door slid open and a small group of Vipers Soldiers marched inside. Isabella tensed up, fearing that her cover was discovered but the men paid no attention to her. They all glanced over at her for a few seconds before they too went over and got suited up. Isabella watched silently as they put on the armor; when the last one was done, each Viper soldier armed themselves with large gun and other types of artillery that Isabella wasn't use to before they exited as quietly as they came; when Isabella thought that she had made it off clean, one Viper soldier stopped in the doorway and turned around to face her,

"Well come on man! The Baroness doesn't like to be kept waiting." The Viper Soldier's harsh voice ordered; Isabella went along with it. She gave a quick nod before she walked out of the still open door and joined the other five Soldiers who stood waiting. When the last Soldier left the room he carried with him a second large gun, "Hey!" he called to Isabella before he tossed her the deadly looking weapon, "Hold onto that, soldier!" he sharply ordered. Again, Isabella nodded her head as she held the gun down by her side. "Let's move out boys." The commanding Viper Soldier stated before he led the way down the hallway; the rest of the Vipers, including Isabella, followed obediently. It took Isabella a few seconds to get use to walking in such an unfamiliar uniform, especially since she had to change the style of her walk to make her look more like a man that woman; she widened the space between her legs and did her best in ceasing the noticeable swing of her hips. But just to make sure no one could fully notice, Isabella hung in the back of the group of Vipers. Finally they entered a massive Hanger where they approached a flying ship of some sort which was open and waiting for them. James McCullen stood outside the ship talking to a beautiful woman who looked to be a few years older then herself; the dark haired woman was dressed in a black leather suit with black shades over her eyes. Isabella glanced over at that pair before she silently followed the Vipers up onto the ship. Once inside, they all walked over and took a seat upon a two benches built in on either side of the ship and waited. A few minuets later, the woman who Isabella guessed was the Baroness stepped onto the ship,

"Take off!" she called as the ship's door sealed itself behind her. Isabella felt a slight drop in her stomach as the ship began to lift off the ground before it took off into the air at great speed. It was in that moment that something dawned upon Isabella, she had made it out of the base, she was free.

"Well….sort of…." She corrected herself as she leaned back against the wall of the ship and glanced around at the five real Viper Soldiers that she was sitting with. "And this where things get interesting." She stated in her mind as she thought about how ironic her current position was. With a soft shake of her concealed head, she took in a deep breath before she forced herself to at least try and enjoy the flight while it was for now, quiet.

(Back at the Cobra Base)

"Idiots!" he muttered to himself as he made his back to his lab from the control room where he had to help overlook some repairs to a computer system which had broken down. Upon entering through his lab's doorway, his eyes searched the place quickly before he froze in his step; the chair was empty.

"She's gone…" he growled before he reached down to his wrist and hit a couple buttons before he stormed inside his lab and began investigating Isabella's escape. He circled the chair and stopped when his eyes landed on the open cuffs that had once been holding her down. A door slid open with a hiss and The Doctor glanced over his shoulder to see Storm Shadow's dressed in his usual white attire walk inside. He saw how the ninja noted right off the bat that something was out of place before he turned his dark eyes upon him,

"Find her." The Doctor hissed, "Search everywhere, I want her back!!" he ordered. Storm Shadow nodded before he spun about and quickly left the room, ready to track down the young woman, leaving the Doctor inside his lab fuming about how Isabella had managed to free herself.

(4 hours later)

Isabella had sat silently, like a stone statue waiting for them to reach their destination…wherever that may be; when the Baroness appeared before her and the group of Vipers with a small smile upon her face, Isabella knew that they were obliviously arriving.

"Time to go, boys." She stated in a fairly seductive voice. All the Vipers in the room rose to their feet, Isabella quickly mimicked their actions.

"Go where?" Isabella asked herself as she watched the Viper Soldiers take up their weapons and watched them silently prepare themselves. She didn't need to know every detail about what was going to go down to understand that whatever was going to happen was going to be big; Isabella just knew. As she listened intently to her surroundings, she picked up the humming of a couple helicopters flying not too far off from where they were. Her heart jumped inside her chest the moment she heard the all too familiar sounds of an explosion outside and then after a few more moments the sound of a machine gun's repetitive firing. And since the sound was so close, too close actually, Isabella understood that they were the ones causing all the destruction. She heard with great concern more explosions outside before the ship flew downwards towards the ground where Isabella then picked up the multiple sounds of running vehicles then she felt the slight dropping sensation in her stomach as the ship landed on the ground.

(Back at the Cobra Base)

The Doctor stood with his hands clasped behind his back at a large window. His head moved slightly when he heard a door open and knew someone had entered the room with him,

"Did you find her?" he asked in a low, deadly hiss. Storm Shadow came to a stop a few feet from the Doctor,

"No. I've searched everywhere, not a trace has been found." The white ninja answered. The Doctor spun about and began pacing back and forth across the floor,

"How on earth could she have just disappeared?" he asked out loud in frustration, "…and without anyone seeing?" he demanded sharply. Storm Shadow had opened his mouth to reply but stopped when another door opened up and James McCullen strolled inside the room as well.

"Has she been located Doctor?" he asked in a calm voice.

"Not yet, but not to worry, she will be found! That's for certain…" the Doctor grumbled, "Has anyone heard from the Baroness yet?" he added.

A device on Storm Shadow's person beeped a few times before the white ninja answered its call and read the message on its screen, "Good timing…." He murmured softly as his dark eyes skimmed the words on his screen, "Ah….the Baroness has located the case. She and her team of seven Vipers are going in to retrieve it now." He informed.

"Seven?" McCullen repeated as his brows furrowed softly before he turned to look over at the Doctor who was pacing again, "Doctor did you order another Viper to go on the mission?" he asked. The Doctor slowed his pacing till he came to a complete stop,

"I did not." He answered in a suspicious voice, "Why?" he asked.

"Because…." McCullen started, "….I had only sent six Vipers to begin with." He answered, "Which means…..there's an extra Viper on that mission." He stated slowly. The Doctor's eyes lowered to the floor in deep thought while Storm Shadow straightened up, a small smirk was tugging at his lips as he slowly shook his head knowingly. McCullen glanced over at the white ninja and raised a soft eyebrow,

"What's so amusing Storm Shadow?" he asked in a serious tone. Storm Shadow turned his dark eyes upon the Doctor and McCullen,

"She's good." He answered. It took a few seconds for the truth to dawn on The Doctor and McCullen, but when it did at last the two men exchanged a quick glance before the Doctor let out another growl,

"Damn that girl!" he angrily swore.

(Back on the ship)

The ship's door opened up and a small ramp was lowered; the six Viper soldiers hopped out of the ship, Isabella jumped down behind them followed by the Baroness. All at once the sound of multiple gun shots went off and as Isabella took a few seconds to examine her surroundings, she found herself on a dark battlefield. The Vipers took up their guns and began firing; Isabella had her own up as well but was not shooting it because she had no idea who they were fighting in the first place. Her eyes quickly spotted a small group of camo wearing men hiding behind trees that the team of Vipers were approaching; she also noted the military vans which had either been tipped over or blown up. As she moved with the group she glanced over at a man in camo and recognized, though this was not a team of Marines, they were from a sister branch of their military. A Viper just a head of her, fired off his gun and an almost blue streak of light shot out before it struck the ground by the man she had been watching and with both horror and rage, she heard the man scream as he flew back into a tree before going limp. Isabella's eyes narrowed before she took off running straight into the battle to get ahead of the Vipers who were closing in on the men, bullets from all around bounced right off her armor as she drew closer to the camo men and readied her gun before she took her aim; at first it looked like she was going to shoot at one of the men in the camo uniforms but just as she cocked the gun, she spun about on her heel and faced the team of Viper's before she started firing at them. She since this was not a weapon she was use to, let alone seen, Isabella missed her targets the first few times. But the time she shot the high-tech gun she nailed a Viper Soldier right in his chest and brought him down.

"Woo! One down, five to go!" she stated triumphantly as she quickly got into the battle. By now, the rest of the Vipers knew her to be false and all seemed to be targeting her. Isabella fired a few more times before she retreated and took shelter behind some trees. The ground was shaking with grenade explosions and the night air was thickening with smoke from small fires that were all around. Behind the tree, Isabella reloaded her gun before she leaned outward to shoot again; her turquoise eyes spotted the Baroness from a distance and two Viper soldiers surrounding one man, as Isabella watched, the Baroness landed a hard kick to the man's face, knocking him to the ground, in one hand she carried a large silver case. Suddenly, the Baroness spun away and as that happened, out of nowhere a large jet flew overhead; As Isabella looked up into the sky at the approaching ship, she saw a man in black skillfully jump out of the jet and land right before the pair of Vipers. In the man's hand he held a single Katana which he used to strike down the two Vipers in just seconds. A cord was then lowered from the jet and a redheaded woman slid down it before joining the battle; she used a weapon that resembled a crossbow which she used and skillfully shot at any Viper in her sight. Isabella shook herself out of the slight trance she was in before she took up fighting herself. She was able to shoot a couple times before an explosion went off just a few feet from where she hid; the force of it launched her into the air before she tumbled to the ground, dropping her gun and did a quick roll to get back up on her feet before she ran for new shelter. Once she had hidden herself from view once more, Isabella reached her hands up and pulled the metal helmet off her head before she tossed it aside,

"Man forget this." She grumbled as she peered out from behind the tree and spotted another Viper soldier; reaching into her sleeve she pulled out the switchblade she had tucked away in it before she snapped the blade out of its hilt and chucked it at the Viper with all her might. The blade stuck into the Viper's neck right below his helmet but to her surprise he kept on walking. Her mouth dropped open in utter disbelief before she saw that the man in the black with the katana finished the Viper off for her. Isabella quickly glanced all around to see that all the Viper's had been defeated and when she at last spotted the Baroness, the dark haired woman was retreating alone back up into her ship which took off into the night. Isabella leaned against the tree to catch her breath,

"Well now that that's over…" she stated before she tugged the heavy breastplate off her body and tossed it aside where the metal helmet laid abandoned. She stretched out her limbs which were slightly sore and stiff from the heavy armor before she froze as she heard a voice speak up from behind.

"Don't move!" the male voice ordered. Isabella straightened up before she calmly turned around; her eyes landed on an attractive black man who stood pointing his automatic at her, he was also dressed in a sandy camo uniform. Isabella raised both her hands up in a surrendering gesture,

"Easy boy." She warned, "….Let's not do anything irrational." She stated. The man frowned,

"You were with them, weren't you?" he asked as his brown eyes quickly skimmed over her Viper attire. Isabella lowered her hands,

"Looks that way doesn't it?" she returned coolly before she moved forward a few steps; the man cocked his gun,

"Hey don't come any closer. I'd hate to shoot a woman." He warned seriously. Isabella stopped when she stood less than two feet away from the man; she frowned softly as she studied his form. Though by his stance he gave the impression of intimidation, Isabella was not swayed by his threat to fire.

"Even if she was unarmed?" she asked in her sweetest voice as her eyes softly narrowed daringly and her hands placed themselves upon her hips. The man gave a soft snort,

"You call that unarmed?" he returned as he nodded at her utility belt which was still holding two handheld guns and a couple grenades. Isabella glanced down at fairly armed form before she looked up and smirked,

"To an extent." She answered, "…but I haven't raised anything against you yet now have I?" she pointed out. The man glanced around for a second in uncertainty,

"…what's your point?" he asked in slight confusion. Isabella rolled her eyes and sighed,

"Listen soldier," she began, "…..we both have had a rough night, that's obvious. Now I don't want any trouble so how about you lower your weapon." She offered.

"And what if I choose not to?" he replied. Isabella shrugged calmly,

"Honestly, I don't really care what you do. Thing only thing that matters to me most now is getting the hell out of here. So I'll just be on my way…." She stated as she made a move to walk around the man; his gun followed her steps,

"I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere." He declared as he stepped out into her path. Isabella stopped her movements and raised an eyebrow,

"Oh really?" she asked.

"I'm gonna have to take you in." he stated. Isabella looked up for a second as she considered his words,

"You're taking me in?" she repeated, "…..that'll be an awfully big task for a man to take on singlehandedly." She finished as she lowered her gaze and met his deep brown eyes with her cool turquoise ones. The man's eyes narrowed slightly before he took a step closer,

"That a threat?" he asked as he pointed his gun right at Isabella's forehead. Isabella smirked softly in amusement,

"No….." she innocently answered as her hand unnoticeably slid down her hip to hover above one of her handheld guns, "….If I want to threaten someone," she began explaining, "I'll do it like this." In the blink of an eye, she whipped out the handheld and had it pointed right in between the man's brown eyes, "We clear?" she asked in her sweet voice. The man stared down at the gun for a few seconds before he glanced back up,

"Crystal…" he grumbled as kept his own weapon pointed at Isabella.

"Good. Now stand down." She ordered.

The man shook his head, "Uh-uh it's not gonna go down like that." He answered.

Isabella shrugged, "Alright well then since we can't come to an agreement, let's compromise." She commandingly offered; again the man shook his head,

"I don't make deals with the enemy." He stated. Isabella brushed off the 'enemy' comment with a swift roll of her eyes before she slowly started circling the man. The man turned with her,

"Look I don't think you'll have much say in this matter," she stated as she quickly glanced away to look out from behind the trees that were keeping them hidden from view, "I have no intention of backing down and from the looks of it, neither do you. So we can either carry on this showdown till sunrise, or you can let me walk away and try helping your comrade over there." She casually informed as she gave a soft nod directing the black man's attention beyond the trees where the another man in camo, the one who was kicked in the face by the Baroness, stood confronted by the group of four people dressed in black; they were the ones who had appeared out of nowhere when the battle had started.

"Duke…" she heard the man mumble under his breath before he looked back at Isabella who was waiting patiently for his answer,

"So….what's it gonna be?" she asked. The man licked his lips in deep thought, his brown eyes going back in forth from Isabella to his friend who looked to be in a tight predicament. The air between them grew so still that they could here the words be spoken back and forth from the other group that were standing just 20 or so feet off. Growing impatient, Isabella pulled her gun back slightly and started moving around the man once more,

"Ok….how about I make the decision for you?" she offered as she quickly stepped around him and started off at a quick walk. Once she had put a couple feet of distance between her and the man, she lowered her gun down to her side as she kept close to the trees and tried going undetected by the other group of people. Since she was wearing black it gave her the advantage to blend in more with the shadows, but the only issue though was the fact that if she wanted a clear path to freedom, she would have to get closer to the people in black before she'd be able to move around them. She moved silently and when she got to the point where they were standing a little more then ten feet away from the trees she was using as cover, she couldn't help but pause for a few moments to listen in on what was being said. A very tan man with dark hair had stepped up and stuck something into the ground, it looked like a metal stick from Isabella's point of view.

"Someone wants a word with you." He told the man who was named Duke as he stood back from the equipment as it glowed and hummed before the holographic visual of a man dressed in a military attire that looked like that of an army commander, appeared out of thin air.

"State your name and rank." He ordered. Duke looked the man over in suspicion,

"You first." He replied boldly.

"Listen kid, my men just save your life, this the part where you say thanks." The man spoke in a very intimidating voice. Duke only shook his head,

"That isn't the word that first comes to mind." He confessed.

Before she could actually catch anything more than that, she felt a strong force knock into her side and shove her out in the open; Isabella quickly steadied herself before she spun about and raised her gun up from her side and pointed it at the dark skinned man in camo from 4 minuets ago.

"You're not getting away that easily." he stated as he had his own gun aimed at her,

Isabella's eyes narrowed softly before she glanced out of the corner of her eyes to see that the group in black and their commanding officer now had their attention directed on her and the dark skinned man. "Don't mind us," Isabella muttered through her teeth as she turned and glared daggers at the dark skinned man in camo, "Please free feel to continue with your conversation." She stated. The group in black exchanged quick glances with each other before a large, muscular black man who was staring over at the other man in camo, spoke up,

"Hand over that case son." He asked in a deadly tone. The redheaded woman then took a step closer,

"Lower your weapon." She added. The man in camo, known apparently as Duke shook his head.

"I don't know you and I sure as hell don't know who they were. And I'm not lowering anything or handing anything over till I get some answers!" Duke boldly declared.

"Yeah….so start talking! Otherwise we can make this whole thing one big turkey shootout." His dark skinned friend added as he turned his gun on the group in black. A flash of silver caught Isabella's eyes before she saw the man in the all black bodysuit who had leaped out of the jet, step out from behind a tree on the man's left side; he held his Katana by one hand at the man's throat in a silent warning. The man grew silent as he eyes the blade with uncertainty, "….or not." He added. Isabella, who had still kept her first gun pointed at the dark skinned man, reached down to her other hip and pulled out her extra handheld before she pointed the other gun at the man in the black bodysuit. She watched as his black covered head turned to look at her before he used his free hand to pull out his own gun and point it at her.

"Easy Snake Eyes." The commanding officer stated before he looked back over at Duke, "My name is General Clayton Abernathy, perhaps you've heard of me."

A look of recognition came across Duke's face, "General Hawk, Afghanistan…." Duke was going to carry on but was stopped short,

"That was my last job; I'm working an entirely different level now." He casually informed,

"Which is what sir?" Duke asked,

"That's classified information. I'll inform you about it when we can meet face to face." General Hawk answered. Duke straightened up,

"Where are you sir?" Duke asked. Hawk smirked,

"See for yourself." He answered before he faded from scene. The dark skinned man known as Ripcord let out a loud sigh before he glanced down at the blade still close to his throat,

"Do you mind?" he asked the man who was called Snaked Eyes. Snake Eyes slowly brought his katana back and slid it into its sheath upon his back before he lowered his gun and put it into his holster on his side. Ripcord himself even lowered is weapon; in fact mostly everyone there did with the exception of Isabella. The large muscular black man with a British accent looked Isabella's defensive stance over,

"You going to stand down, Miss?" he asked. Isabella glanced over at him before her eyes traced over the rest of the people that were now all staring at her; slowly she shook her head,

"All of you might be on friendly terms now but that doesn't mean I have to be." She answered fearlessly. The redheaded woman raised an eyebrow at her response,

"And whose side are you on?" she softly demanded, "Clearly you're not with them, definitely not with us and if I didn't know any better I'd say you like a Viper Soldier to me." She stated suspiciously. Isabella's eyes narrowed daringly,

"I'm not on a side," she answered, "….I stand alone."

"And how did you end up here?" The red head asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's not any of your concern now is it?" Isabella swiftly threw back.

"This was a classified a mission here, if you're not working with NATO or us that makes it our business." She replied coolly. Isabella rolled her eyes,

"I'm sorry is that supposed to intimidate me?" Isabella mocked boldly; the redhead's eyebrows rose up in quiet anger,

"Excuse me?" she demanded.

"Do I really have to repeat myself?" Isabella answered sarcastically. Both young women seemed to take a step towards each other in a silent challenge, Ripcord swiftly stepped in,

"How can you be working alone when I caught you with those….metal men?" he asked. Isabella turned her attention on him,

"And who says I'm working with them?" she threw back defensively.

"I saw you dressed exactly like them! You even carried the same weapons." He replied. Isabella shrugged a shoulder,

"So what? You're basing things off my looks." She wittily threw back, "Ever heard the phrase 'looks can be deceiving'?" she casually pointed out.

"Yeah well not in this case." Ripcord grumbled.

"Tell us your name and who you work for." The redhead woman demanded.

"Not gonna happen." Isabella answered with a shake of her head.

"If you choose not to cooperate, then you'll leave us no choice but to take you into custody." She stated in a warning voice. Isabella snorted softly,

"That's the second time tonight I've been informed of that course of action."

"And you would do well to take heed of it, we do not play games." She informed seriously,

"Neither do I." Isabella answered in her low, dangerous voice.

"Fine then; looks like you'll now be coming back to base with us for further questioning." The redhead stated, "You gonna come quietly or will we have to take you there by force?" she asked.

"And what makes you think I'd allow myself to be taken into your guys' custody in the first place?" Isabella asked challengingly. Before Isabella could blink, the man in the black body suit struck out and knocked one of her guns right out of her hand before he swiftly grabbed onto her other arm and twisted in painfully behind her back. Despite the incredible strain on her arm, Isabella did not let go of her last gun so Snake Eyes, who now stood behind her, applied more pressure, lifting her twisted limb up her back. In an attempt to lighten the pressure on her arm, Isabella had to drop to a squatting position but Snake Eyes didn't ease up. Her left shoulder felt like it would pop out of its socket in a second if Snake Eyes put even the slightest bit more pressure on it; her eyes closed themselves in pain as she bit back her cries.

"If you still want your shoulder intact, I'd suggest you drop that gun." The redhead stated. Isabella took in a sharp breath of pure rage before she reluctantly let the gun fall out of her hand and hit the ground. "Now then," the redhead continued, "….let's get this case and…guest back to base." She added before she turned around and swiftly walked back to their jet; the other men quickly followed behind while Snake Eyes slightly eased up on his grip to allow Isabella to stand before he gave her a firm nudged toward their ship. At the ship's entrance the redhead stood waiting in the doorway before she tossed something metal at Snake Eyes who easily caught it in his black gloved hand and nodded softly. Then he dropped Isabella's twisted arm while still keeping his unbreakable grip on her so that he could cuff both her hands behind her back. Isabella let out a huffed sighed in frustration as she felt the cool metal rings snap tightly around both her wrists.

"Not again...." she grumbled inside her mind. Snake Eyes gave her a soft push forward and Isabella reluctantly stepped up into the ship.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter8:

The ship, Isabella noticed right when she boarded, was much larger than the last one she had come from. With one hand kept firmly on her shoulder, the man called Snake Eyes steered her towards the back of the ship where the rest of his team and the two NATO soldiers were. Once there, he directed her into a chair that was pushed up against a wall of the ship before he at last let her go. Isabella let out a quick, irritated sigh before she leaned back against the solid back of the chair. She stared up at the ceiling blankly, deeply thinking about her position now,

"This is turning out to be quite the night….." she grumbled inside her head. For a few silent minuets Isabella remained still, almost lifeless until she was brought back to reality by a quick cry of pain. She turned her head to see that, across from her diagonally, the man in the black body suit had shoved a long needle up into Ripcord's forearm.

"Ouch!!" he hissed softly; the redhead woman named Scarlet kneeled on Ripcord's other side,

"I thought Army men were suppose to be tough." She wittily pointed out as Snake Eyes extracted the needle of Ripcord's arm; Ripcord frowned softly and straightened up defensively as he watched Snake Eyes like a hawk,

"Hey, we ARE tough!!" he protested before he turned and looked over at Scarlet and quickly gave her a flirty smile, "…..but we're also sensitive." He added. Scarlet rolled her eyes before she glanced over at Snake Eyes,

"Thanks Snake, I can take it from here." She stated. Snake Eyes placed a hand upon her shoulder before he nodded and rose to his feet and moved away from Ripcord and took a seat right across from Isabella. Isabella glanced over at his dark from out of the corner of her eyes to see him looking directly at her, his head was cocked to the side softly as if he was trying to make an analysis about her. Boldly, Isabella turned her turquoise eyes upon him in a silent challenge; he instantly sensed her hostility silently and crossed his arms over his broad, muscular chest in response. Isabella's eyes narrowed along with his movement before she gracefully crossed one leg over the other. For a couple minuets, the two held each others stare, neither wanting to be the one to first look away; all the while conversations between the other people in the ship carried on but Isabella paid no mind to the words spoken back and forth. The stare down between her and Snake Eyes was then disrupted when the fiery redhead walked over and stood in front of Isabella; Isabella glanced up at the young redhead who stood with her arms crossed over her chest as well as she stared down on Isabella's form. Isabella cocked an eyebrow,

"Can I help you?" she asked daringly. Scarlet straightened up,

"You will now disarm yourself." She ordered firmly. A small defiant smirk tugged at Isabella's lips,

"And how do you suppose I can perform such a task when you have restrained my hands?" Isabella smartly pointed out. Behind Scarlet, Snake Eyes stood up and came to stand by her side; Scarlet glanced over at him before she turned her gaze back onto Isabella,

"We will undo the cuffs momentarily as long as you agree to not try anything." She stated. Isabella uncrossed her legs and slowly stood,

"Try anything??" she repeated, "Wow I must have you guys running scared if you honestly think I'd be desperate enough to 'try anything'" Isabella sharply returned. Scarlet gave a soft scowl before she looked over at Snake Eyes and nodded her head; Snake Eyes stepped forward, reached out and took hold of Isabella's cuffed hands. In a few seconds he had the cuffs off her wrists before he backed off and took his place beside Scarlet once more.

"Now," Scarlet began firmly as she quickly eyed Isabella's armed form, "Remove." She ordered. Isabella raised an eyebrow at the command and swiftly glanced around the ship to see all eyes were upon her; in response she straightened up and placed a single hand upon her hip. Everyone in the room stiffened at her simple, innocent action; Isabella couldn't help but roll her eyes softly at the paranoia in the room,

"Exactly what are we talking about?" Isabella asked, referring to her attire.

"Everything." Scarlet answered coolly. Isabella shrugged her shoulders in response,

"If you say so." She replied before her hands went to the clasp of her utility belt; with a quick snap, she undid the belt and carefully, with all its arms, took it off her hips. Snake Eyes stepped forward again and held out his hands, signaling that Isabella was to hand her stuff over to him. And so she did; after handing over the utility belt, Isabella bent over so her hands could reach the tops of the Viper's black army boots where she kept the throwing daggers. She placed the four blades on top of the belt before she bent over again and began working on the ties of her boots. She didn't have to completely undo the boots' laces before her small feet were able to easily slide out of the large shoes; with a firm push of a foot, she nudged the boots off to the side before she brought both hands up to rolled up ends of her black shirt which she tugged up over her head. She silently laughed to herself when she heard someone about to speak out against her bold move of stripping in front of everyone but stopped quickly when they spotted her blue cami beneath the black shirt. Isabella softly shook her head as she turned and dropped the now rumpled shirt over the black boots on the floor. When she faced front again, she caught Scarlet's look of slight surprise before she quickly covered it up and asked,

"Are you finished?" she questioned. Isabella glanced down on herself for a brief second before she brought her hands up to the belt buckle that was holding the extra large pants up on her hips,

"One last thing." Isabella answered as she quickly undid the buckle which immensely loosened the pants on her hips,

"Uhhhh…." Ripcord was starting to mumble in uncertainty; Scarlet also opened her mouth to say something but Isabella simply rolled her eyes once more and quickly spoke up before everyone in the ship got the wrong idea,

"Relax people. I've got something underneath this as well." She explained as she let the large black pants slide from her hips to the ground which she swiftly and easily stepped out of without undoing the button or zipper. "See?" she pointed out as she made a gesture to her skinny jeans. A look of relief passed across almost every male face in that room with the exception of Snake Eyes because his face was well hidden by his mask and visor. Dressed in her casual attire now, Isabella crossed her arms over her chest and gently stuck her hip out,

"Happy now?" she asked. Scarlet gave a soft nod before she took a step forward and bent down to collect Isabella's discarded Viper disguise which she then added to the things Snake Eyes was holding before she turned about and walked off to dispose of the things. A soft whistle came from somewhere in the room and Isabella's head snapped over to look at Ripcord; she sent him a death glare and turned her body to face him,

"Got something to say?" she fiercely demanded. Ripcord quickly shook his head,

"No….its just….wow…."he stated, "…you're...uh… tiny." He pointed out. Isabella glanced down on her form before she looked back at Ripcord who was eyeing her sudden and visibly changed figure and raised an eyebrow.

"You mean curvy? More womanly?" she corrected. Ripcord cleared his throat softly,

"Well….that too." He added softly. Isabella rolled her eyes before she turned about and took a seat back in the chair.

"Good observation." She sarcastically stated as she sat back in her seat and once again crossed her legs, keeping her hard stare upon Ripcord. Ripcord shifted in his seat before he looked away from Isabella and glanced over at Snake Eyes who had taken his seat once more right across from Isabella,

"You're awfully quiet over there. Don't you ever say anything??" he asked curiously, as he eyed the black ninja with soft caution,

"Snake Eyes doesn't speak." Scarlet stated as she walked back into the room, Ripcord glanced over at the redhead,

"Why not?" he asked.

"He doesn't say" Heavy Duty answered.

Once that was established, things got quiet and Isabella was left to sit in silence as she waited to arrive at her new destination.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

The hours seemed to drag on for Isabella as she sat in silence upon that ship. Pretty soon her body was crying out in restlessness and every now and then she would have to fidget in her seat to keep herself from completely losing control. For how long the flight lasted, she could not say and did not bother to ask because she automatically guessed she would receive no answers from the people she was with. So when it was finally announced that they were approaching headquarters, Isabella couldn't help the sigh of relief that softly escaped past her lips. It was only another 20 minuets or so before they were landing; once Isabella felt the ship lower itself onto solid ground, Isabella glanced up to see the black clad ninja before her; Isabella quickly rose to her feet to meet his intimidating stance with one of her own. He then reached out and took her by the arm before he turned her around and once again cuffed both her hands behind her back. Isabella let out a soft sigh and shook her head before she began taking steps towards the exit of the ship,

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I know the drill." She mumbled softly as she walked ahead of a secretly amused Snake Eyes who kept close behind her as she made her way to the ship's now open door. Snake Eyes placed a hand upon her shoulder when she hopped out to help steady and keep her under control should anything happen. As her bare feet touched the pavement of the base, Isabella eye's widened softly as she started taking in her surroundings,

"Whoa….."she whispered softly. The place was huge, bigger than anything Isabella has ever seen before. When she felt Snake Eyes climb out behind her and give her a gentle nudge forward, Isabella walked on in a dreamlike trance. Snake Eyes led her over to where a highly ranked man stood greeting the two NATO soldiers,

"Gentlemen, welcome to Headquarters." The Duke and Ripcord shook hands with the man who Isabella noted as a General. The men exchanged a few words before Isabella found the General turning about to stare at her. He quickly and professionally looked her over before he gave her a surprisingly soft smile,

"Ah…" he stated in recognition, "Lieutenant Wright." Isabella straightened up at her name but remained silent.

"Does everybody know who I am?" she asked herself in irritation. The General before her gave a soft nod at Snake Eyes before he ordered,

"Thank you, Snake Eyes but those cuffs won't be necessary." At the General's words, Snake Eyes glanced over at the rest of his team who stood off to the side for a quick second before he swiftly removed the cuffs on Isabella's wrists. Once her wrists were free, the General approached Isabella and offered his hand,

"Lieutenant Wright," he greeted, "I'm General Hawk." He introduced politely; obediently with slight hesitation, Isabella shook hands with him, "I must admit this wasn't how I pictured our first encounter." He confessed with a soft smile.

"Uh….sir?" Scarlet suddenly spoke up, "….do you know her?" she asked with soft suspicion as she eyed Isabella. The General glanced over at Scarlet a soft shrug,

"We haven't had the chance to meet face to face yet but yes I know who she is." He answered before he turned back to Isabella, "Isabella Wright, age 23, graduate of Princeton University and the National War College, Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Is that not right?" he asked.

Isabella stared dumbfounded at the General before her before she nodded her head softly,

"Dead on." She answered, "How…..?" she started to ask but stopped herself short. General Hawk gave a soft chuckle,

"We know all about you, Lieutenant. Tried recruiting you two years back." He explained. Isabella softly shook her head,

"I never received anything about a recruiting, General. I think perhaps you have the wrong person." She answered.

"Oh no. I have the right one. Though I must say your visit was an unexpected one. How did we pick you up?" he asked curiously.

"Uhhh…" Isabella began in uncertainty, "….that's kind of a long story." She confessed casually as she reached a hand up and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her left ear.

"We found her with a Viper Team sir." Scarlet spoke up. The General's brows furrowed softly at the news, "She was with them when we went to retrieve the case." She added. The General raised an eyebrow before he turned to Isabella,

"Do you have anything to say to this statement, Lieutenant?" he asked calmly. Isabella shrugged a shoulder,

"That pretty much sums it up actually. Personally I like to think of it as being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Interesting….how so?" Hawk asked curiously,

"Because, the whole point of me being there was to get away from the as you call them, Vipers, in the first place. It was not in my calculations that I was going to escape from one thing only to get caught again." She answered, "But your little team took me by surprise….along with other things that I wasn't exactly prepared for."

"Escape? Wait a minute…you saying that you were what? Captured by those creeps?" Ripcord asked.

"Well the correct term would be kidnapped but that works too I suppose." Isabella answered. Something dawned on Ripcord at that moment,

"Ohhh! So that's why you were dressed as one of them." he stated, "….it was a cover. A disguise."

Isabella nodded, "Exactly." She confirmed.

"Why didn't you just say so, girl?" Ripcord asked. Isabella gave a sarcastic laugh,

"Ha! I just barely got out of a hell hole then found myself on a battlefield. How trusting would you be if you found yourself surrounded by people with weapons and had no idea which side was which?" she pointed out. Ripcord considered her words carefully, along with everyone else before he answered,

"Good point." He stated, "So…uh….no hard feelings about the whole….well you know, what went down between us right?" he asked as he offered his hand out in truce; Isabella gave him a soft smile before she reached out and shook his hand,

"Don't worry about it. Let the past be the past." She answered.

"Alright!" he agreed enthusiastically with a grin across his face.

"Wait…" a man who was called Breaker suddenly spoke up, "…..so you're not a Viper Soldier?" he asked with his head cocked to the side.

"No," she began, "I am not one of those metal heads." She assured.

"Oh! Well in that case I'm Breaker." He introduced with a polite smile. Isabella gave a soft one back,

"Isabella." She returned. General Hawk cleared his throat,

"Well….now that we have that misunderstanding settled, let's get back to business." He pointed out, "Follow me." He ordered, referring to everyone present, including Isabella. Isabella glanced around in hesitation before she trailed behind the group. The General led into the base and took them to an elevator platform which took them down into further levels of the base. Duke stared in awe and disbelief as they passed by a couple of training stations.

"Sir," he stated, directing his comment towards General Hawk, "I've been in the military all my life. And I have never seen a place like this."

"Alright, you trusted me so I'll trust you; technically GI Joe doesn't exist." Hawk answered, "...but if it did it would consist of only the best members of the military branches in all countries. The Alpha Dogs." General Hawk glanced over at where Duke stood close by, "We tried recruiting you a few years back too." He informed.

"I don't remember anything of this sort." Duke answered.

"Well it would've been 4 years ago." The General answered casually.

"Ah back then my boy had issues." Ripcord commented, "…man even his issues had issues." He added.

The elevator came to a stop and everybody filed out. Isabella still stayed behind the rest of them being the fact that she was still very uncertain about the whole situation.

"Though, it is a step up from your last one." She noted to herself with a soft shrug. The group went down a long hallway before the General turned off into a side room which automatically opened up as he approached; everyone else followed in right behind him. Well everyone but the man known as Snake Eyes who waited right outside the doorway. As Isabella stopped in front of the door, her turquoise eyes were locked on the hidden face of the black ninja before her. Snake Eyes nodded his black head at her once, signaling for her to go into the room. Isabella's eyes narrowed softly; her brows furrowed softly in deep thought as she pondered the silent ninja's body language. She couldn't seem to decide if his action was in politeness by waiting for her, a lady to go in first, or if it was in suspicion like he thought that she would try to run away from the group. Keeping her eyes on Snake Eyes, she stepped into the room and made her way over to a corner where she could see everyone and yet still stay out of the way. Snake Eyes had followed right behind her before passing her by to go stand with the rest of his team. But even as he passed, his dark head had turned to stare over at Isabella who frowned in response.

"The nerve of that guy…." She thought irritably to herself as her eyes followed his black form over to where he now stood. With a soft roll of her eyes, Isabella pulled her gaze away from ninja and focused casually on her neatly cut nails. Though she paid little attention to the many voices that were in the room at once, her attention was grabbed when her keen hearing picked up a certain hushed comment that was about her.

"Sir, should she even be here for this? I mean the two NATO soldiers are one thing, but she's….well…she's…" the female voice carried off not being able to find the right word to finish her sentence. Isabella glanced up to look over at Scarlet,

"I'm what, Scarlet?" Isabella asked innocently, but anyone who turned to look over at the young woman could not mistake the challenge that was burning deep within her eyes. Scarlet turned toward her as well and placed a hand upon her hip,

"The GI Joe headquarter is no place for children or amateurs." Scarlet answered boldly.

Isabella raised an eyebrow at the comment, "You think of me a child?" she returned unaffected by Scarlet's words, "ooh…..ouch." She dully threw back with a quick roll of her eyes before continuing on, "Listen _Red_, the last thing you want to do is underestimate me."

"That a threat?" Scarlet replied coolly, her green eyes narrowing in challenge.

Isabella's eyes narrowed too, "Completely." She answered boldly.

The two woman stared each other down for a couple seconds before the General stepped in, "Alright you two, at ease." He stated firmly, his blue eyes going back and forth from Isabella to Scarlet to keep them in check. "Obviously there's some unresolved female...stuff between the two of you but now's not the time for that. So let's bring the estrogen level down a few notches shall we?"

Both women seemed to shut up at that. But there was still enough tension in the air between them that everybody could still feel it.

"Now then, where were we?" General Hawk asked out loud, bringing everybody back to attention. While everybody seemed focused on what the General was discussing, Isabella thought it would be best if she went else where. It in no way concerned her and it was clear that she was not wanted around, so she silently turned and left the room the same way she came. She didn't plan on going far of course, last thing she needed was to get lost in this huge, military base. She walked about ten feet away from the door before she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned up against the wall. A little more than ten minuets went by before the General, followed by Scarlet, Snake Eyes, Breaker, Heavy Duty, Duke and Ripcord immerged from that room.

"Ah heya, Bella!" Ripcord enthusiastically greeted as they approached her on the wall, "Good to see your still here."

"Where else could I go?" she returned with a soft amused smile at the dark skinned man.

"Good point." He answered with a grin.

"Right," Spoke General Hawk, "So Duke, Ripcord, the two of you, along with Isabella here will begin your training first thing tomorrow morning." He stated as he walked right past Isabella's form. Isabella's eyes followed the General down the hallway before his words sunk in causing her to do a double take.

"Training?" she repeated the word like it was something foreign,"….wait…what?" She exclaimed before she took off after the General. Her long strides carried her past the rest of the Joes, to his side, "Sir, did you just say training?" she asked in almost disbelief.

"Yes I did Lieutenant, you don't have a problem with that now do you?" he returned calmly.

"Uh…actually yes I do. Sir, I'm an already trained military officer." She pointed out.

"To be on this team Lieutenant, you need more than just your basic military training."

Isabella was taken back by his words, "Team? Who says I want to be a Joe?" she threw back.

The General turned his head and raised an amused eyebrow at her, "You don't want to be?" he returned.

"Wha….no not really." She answered, "Personally, I just want to get out of here and get back to my normal life." She added.

"Funny, you don't come across to me as a normal person." The General replied.

"Excuse me?" Isabella softly declared.

General Hawk chuckled, "What I mean is that if what I read about you is correct, we could use someone like you on Team Alpha. Your skills would be a promising addition to this organization." He answered.

"Well…thanks but no thanks. I'm not interested." She stated firmly.

"Hmm…."said an amused General Hawk, "…is there anything I could do to change your mind?"

Isabella shook her head, "No Sir," she answered, "...not even if you took it up with my commanding officer."

That right there, gave General Hawk an idea...


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10:

There was something about the look General Hawk had in his eyes that told Isabella that he wasn't gonna let her passing-up-the-Joes thing go so easily.

"Well now that we've got things settled, I'm gonna head over to my office and finish some paper work. You all know how to reach me if you need anything." General Hawk stated casually as their group continued their way down the long hallway.

"Yes sir." The Joes behind him all murmured in respect. With a quick nod of his head, General Hawk turned down another hallway that they soon passed before disappearing from sight. Isabella softly shook her head at him in slight suspicion. The group was then silent for a few moments.

"So…." Ripcord suddenly spoke up, "…what are we gonna do now?" he asked.

"Don't know much about you," Heavy Duty replied, "….but I'm going to the Mess hall to find me something to eat."

"Hey sounds good to me, I'm starved!" Ripcord declared. Everyone else seemed to agree to that decision as well, with the exception of Isabella. But still, she followed the Joe team to their Mess Hall for some food. The place was much larger than she pictured and was much more crowded too. All around the room were different stations where you could pick up different types of food. This place seemed to have everything ranging from burgers, to pizza, all the way to foreign cuisines. While the Joes all went around collecting what they wanted to eat, Isabella quietly walked over and took a seat at the end of a long, cafeteria table. It wasn't long however before her silence was broken by the enthusiastic sound of Ripcords voice before he took up a seat right next to Isabella.

"This seat taken?" he asked with a big grin even though he was already sitting down. Isabella couldn't help but smile back softly; she had to admit it, Ripcord was a funny guy.

"Just ignore, Ripcord." Came another male's voice. When Isabella turned her head, she saw that it was Ripcord's best friend, Duke who had also joined them, by sitting down right across from her, "That's what I do." He added with a quick wink.

"Pssh, yeah ok that's the biggest piece of Bull I've heard in a long while." Ripcord mumbled through his mouthful of food. Duke only shrugged his shoulder before he began eating as well. After a few more seconds of quiet chewing from the guys, both men seemed to notice that Isabella didn't have anything with her.

"What…you not eating?" Ripcord asked as he swallowed his bite of food. Isabella's nose scrunched up softly and she shook her head,

"No, not hungry." She replied in a cool, easy tone.

"Girl you crazy." Ripcord quickly commented before taking another bite of food,

"You should eat _**something**_." Duke added. Isabella gave a soft laugh at their persistent encouragement before she rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She sighed before she turned to face Ripcord and reached for the nearest thing on his tray which was a small pile of tator-tots; Isabella only took about three before she sat back and popped one into her mouth and raised then lowered both her eye brows up at the two men. Duke chuckled softly before looking down at his own try of food, Ripcord just grinned once more, satisfied that he got her to at least put something in her mouth. A few more minuets passed by and pretty soon both NATO men had finished off their try of food.

"Woo! Now I'm ready for some sleep, man." Ripcord declared right before letting out a yawn.

"I heard that." Duke agree as he stretched his arms up over his head. Isabella softly rolled her eyes at them,

"Men…." She thought to herself.

"Lieutenant Wright?" Came a female's voice. Isabella turned at her name and spotted the pretty, blonde woman from earlier,

"I'm Cover Girl, General Hawk sent me to find you and tell you that he'd like a word with you in his office tonight." The woman stated.

"Oh." Isabella replied in quiet surprise, "…umm sure. Where is that?" she asked as she rose to her feet and climbed over the bench she had been sitting on.

"Follow me." Cover Girl answered before she turned on her heel and began leading the way out of the Mess Hall. She took Isabella down the same hallway they had been down earlier but this time turned down the second hallway the General had gone down when leaving their group. When they approached a single metal door, Cover Girl gave a quick knock on its front before waiting patiently for it to be answered. In less then 20 seconds, the door opened and in the doorway stood General Hawk. He nodded politely at both women and stood aside,

"Thank you Cover Girl, Isabella please come in." Without another word Cover Girl left and Isabella walked slowly inside the General's office. As he took his place standing at the front of his desk, he beckoned to an open chair right in front of it,

"Please have a seat, Lieutenant." He offered with a soft smile. Isabella walked over and sat down,

"With all do respect sir, why have you asked me here?" she asked curiously.

"I think there's someone who would like to have a quick word with you." He answered before he reached down and punched a button in on his desk. Before Isabella could say anything else, a bright light was produced from the desk and out came the holographic figure of General Speice and her father. Naturally, Isabella jumped to her feet and stood at attention before raising her right hand up into a perfect salute. The two older Marines smiled before they both nodded at her in response,

"At ease Lieutenant." General Speice said. Isabella lowered her hand before placing both hands behind her back and bracing her legs slightly apart in the resting position for a soldier. The expression on her face was pure shock and disbelief.

"How…how did?" her voice carried off and Isabella quickly closed her mouth.

General Speice then turned to General Wright and nodded his head; Isabella's father stepped forward.

"Lieutenant Wright," his firm voice began before adding in his father voice, "Isabella," he paused for a second before continuing, "Thank God that you are alright. Your mother and I have been worried sick. It's a good thing General Hawk's team was able to pick you up safely." He stated with relief; Isabella smiled at her father,

"Yes sir, I'm perfectly fine. And I'm most anxiously looking forward to getting home. But if you don't mind me asking….how do you guys know each other?" she asked.

"Oh Hawk and I go way back, all the way back to studying at the same War College you went too a couple years back." Her father answered lightly before growing serious once more, "Now Hawk here has just informed me and General Speice that he's interested in you joining the ranks of the GI Joes." He stated calmly; Isabella's eyes narrowed softly but she nodded her head obediently,

"Yes sir….he is." She agreed.

"A great honor beyond description. You know, when I had first received that recruitment letter for you from him two years back, I honestly thought that you were too young to take on something this huge and so I had kept it in a safe place until I thought you'd be ready for it, but after what Hawk here has told me and from what I know of you, I'd say that you are more than ready for a thing like this."

Isabella stared blankly at her father for a few seconds, not fully believing what he was saying, "….huh?" she managed to get out.

Her father and General Speice chuckled softly,  
"We both agree that it would be an incredible opportunity if you joined up with the GI Joes." Her father stated with a proud smile.

Isabella licked her lips; her brows were now furrowed into a serious expression and when she opened her mouth to protest her father quickly cut her off,

"Now Isabella, don't you start. You've always told me ever since you joined the Maries how you'd rather much be on the front line, well you can't get anymore front than this."

"But sir!" Isabella complained. He silenced her by a single hand,

"No 'buts' besides, all General Hawk wants to do is simply put you through the training course to see if you've got what it takes. Can't you at least give it a try?" he father softly pleaded. The defiant look General Wright quickly read on his daughter's face made him swiftly change his mind, "No you know what? You **are **going to go through this training. And that's an order." He father declared.

Isabella's jaw dropped at her father's words before she closed her mouth. There was no way she's ever go against a direct order from her Father, slowly her mouth turned down into a frown, "I'll make you a deal," she offered.

General Speice and her father shared a quick, humorous glance before growing serious once more and turning their attention back onto her,

"We're listening." Speice replied casually.

"I'll go through the training willingly, but if General Hawk decides that he doesn't want me on the GI Joes, I get to go home immediately, without hearing another word on this matter."

"Fair enough." General Speice replied, her father nodded,

"Indeed but Isabella, if we agree to this you must swear on your life that you will put every ounce or yourself into this training, meaning no slouching off or trying to get buy. You complete this training like you did any other training you've been put though in the past. Agreed?" her father returned.

Isabella gritted her teeth but nodded her head, "Yes sir." She replied. "I'll give it my all." She grumbled in assurance.

Both her Father and Speice nodded their heads in approval before smiling softly at her. Then they turned and looked over at General Hawk,

"She's all yours General Hawk." Her father stated with soft pride.

General Hawk smiled at the other two Generals before all three saluted each other in respect. Right before General Wright disappeared from view, he turned once more to Isabella,

"I'll talk to you soon sweetheart." He promised with a fatherly smile. And then, he was gone.

Isabella took in a deep breath before she turned accusing eyes upon General Hawk who in return smiled back innocently,

"Something wrong Lieutenant?" he asked.

"You…went…to. my FATHER?" she exclaimed softly. He only shrugged,

"It was your idea. I figured that if I couldn't persuade you, perhaps your Commanding Officers could." He answered. "Now if I were you I'd get to bed early tonight, you have a big day of training planned tomorrow." He informed.

Isabella bit back a cry of rage and turned before stomping out of the General's Office. As he watched his door close behind her, he smiled to himself and couldn't help but think,

"Well this is gonna be fun."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11:

Fuming on her walk back from the General's Office, Isabella mindlessly wandered around the seemingly endless corridors of the base. Eventually, she found herself heading back towards the Mess Hall where she spotted from a distance, Duke and Ripcord with the team of Joes from earlier all huddled right outside its doors. They all seemed to be in a deep conversation of some sort and though Isabella tried to sneak on by unnoticed her presence was soon detected for somebody then called her name.

"Ah there you are, Isabella. Where've you been girl?" Said Ripcord; Isabella stopped in her tracks before she slowly turned to face the group of people who were now staring right at her.

"Oh you know….." she answered in a sarcastic tone, "…just planning my escape route."

"Ouch." Answered Ripcord, "…you really don't wanna be here, huh?" he asked.

Isabella took a couple steps closer to the group before crossing her arms over her chest, "No I don't but what choice do I have?" she replied. Scarlet raised a single eye brow up at her words.

"Ah. So it's true then….General Hawk wants you to join our team." She stated in an unenthusiastic tone.

"Ooh. Really?" Breaker asked curiously, his head was cocked to the side as he, along with the other Joes, studied Isabella. Heavy Duty let out a grunt of amusement while Scarlet and Snake Eyes stayed silent.

"Wait…" Ripcord suddenly spoke up, "…so does that mean that you're staying for the training?" he asked. Isabella glanced over at the dark skinned man and noticed the excitement that he held within his brown eyes before she nodded.

"Yeah….for now." She answered. Ripcord let out a soft whoop before he walked over and slung an arm around Isabella's shoulders.

"Nice girl. Looks like we'll be training buddies." He stated with a grin. Isabella forced a small smile back.

"Guess so." She answered. A moment of silence then passed between the group before Heavy Duty decided to speak up.

"Well now that we've got that settled, let's head on back to the bunker." Said Heavy Duty before he turned his scrutinizing gaze upon Isabella, Ripcord and Duke and eyed the trio with uncertainty, "….I can already tell tomorrow's gonna be a rough day." He stated.

Isabella softly snorted to herself and rolled her eyes in response. Then the group moved out from their little place by the Mess Hall and headed for their private bunker. When the group reached their quarters, everyone seemed then to go their own way. Heavy Duty and Scarlet almost immediately went to their rooms; Breaker went to lounge around on a large sofa that was set up in the middle of the room while Duke and Ripcord both walked around their new surroundings in wonder. Isabella eyed the two men for a couple of seconds before she herself felt eyes on her and turned her head to see that Snake Eyes had remained in the room as well and was looking straight at her. He was casually leaning up against a pillar with his arms crossed comfortably over his well muscled chest. Isabella frowned softly at the black ninja before she walked across the room to have a quick word with Breaker.

"Uh Breaker?" she addressed him as she went to stand before him. He looked up at his name and offered Isabella a polite and friendly smile,

"Yes?" he inquired.

"How is rooming gonna work out exactly?" she asked curiously. His brows furrowed softly in confusion before they shot up in surprise.

"Oh! Yes of course." He stated before jumping to his feet. "How rude of us not getting you newbies settled in. Uh let's see…Ripcord, Duke, you two can share the room down that hallway." Breaker said while he pointed a finger in the direction of the room he was referring to that resided down a hallway on the left side of the bunker. "Bella….we'll put you over here." he said as he then led the way over to the right side of the room where another hallway was located at. "You can have the room next to Scarlet and right across from Snake Eyes." He stated as he showed her to her new living quarters. Isabella offered Breaker a soft sincere smile and murmured a quick thanks and goodnight which he returned before he turned on his heel and went back to his spot on the sofa leaving Isabella alone in the hallway right outside her door. With a soft sigh, Isabella entered her room.

It wasn't a huge space and it was fairly dark inside, but it provided the basic necessities like a fairly decent sized bed and bathroom. A soft frown pulled at Isabella's lips as she carefully approached the single sized bed and then after testing it out for comfort, she turned on her heel and walked over to the bathroom. Inside, after turning on a light, Isabella rummaged around in the couple of cupboards and drawers by the sink before she came across what she was looking for; a new toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. Then for a few minuets, Isabella thoroughly brushed her teeth, taking her sweet time to neatly clean and freshen her mouth since it has been some time since she last did so. Once satisfied with her clean teeth, she quickly spit in the sink, rinsed it out then efficiently splashed some water on her face. After drying off with a hand towel, Isabella left the bathroom and headed back over to the bed where she then cautiously pulled back the few covers that were on it before she slowly climbed in. The bed sheets were cool and evening through her skinny jeans she could feel its chill seeping in. Isabella shivered softly before pulling the sheets up to her shoulders and then couldn't help but think about her first day of training the next day.

"Whatever they've got planned," she whispered to loud to herself, "I'm doing things my way." Then after a few silent moments, Isabella relaxed her body and went to sleep…..

Alarm clocks began sounding off at exactly 5:00 A.M.  
And like any well trained GI Joe solider, they wasted no time in getting up and getting ready for their day. Dressing in their usual grey cammo uniforms, Heavy Duty, Scarlet, Snake Eyes and Breaker all gathered in the center of the main bunker where they then waited for the last arrivals. A couple minuets passed by before Duke and Ripcord immerged from their room. They looked like they slept well judging by the energy that they seemed to carry with them as the crossed the room and headed over to the group of Joes. Heavy Duty eyed the two NATO soldiers while crossing his muscled arms over his chest,

"I take it that you guys are ready for today?" he asked in his deep, British voice. Ripcord gave a light snort in reply before he lifted both hand up and cracked his knuckles,

"Pssh, me and my boy are always ready." Ripcord answered with confidence. Duke looked over at his closest pal before smirking softly. Heavy Duty rolled his dark eyes in silence. Then Ripcord, after he took a couple seconds to scan the faces of the people in the room, frowned softly in confusion.

"Eh yo…" he began, "….where's our girl Isabella?" he asked. Everyone shared a quick glance before heads turned about in search of their last addition. Scarlet shook her head and sighed,

"Alright, who wants to go get the little miss up?" she asked. When no one made a move to go, Breaker cleared his throat before he took a small step out,

"I'll go." He answered before he turned and headed over to Isabella's bedroom. The group of Joes watched him disappear down the hallway and then listened intently as they heard the sound of him opening up her bedroom door,

"Uh…Isabella?" his voice faintly called out. Then everything went silent and the Joes were left waiting for the return of their teammate. In less then a minute, Breaker reemerged from the hallway and made his way back over to the group.

After seeing him come back empty handed, Scarlet raised an eyebrow,

"Well Breaker?" she inquired. Breaker cleared his throat once more,

"Uh…yeah….I believe she's not much of a morning person." He answered. Ripcord grinned softly in response before he straightened up and left for Isabella's bedroom himself.

"Don't worry guys, I got this." He stated as he crossed the room. Duke opened his mouth to protest at his friend's retreating form

"Uh Rip? I'm not sure…" he began but Ripcord cut him off.

"Chill man, me and Isabella are like this now." He called back over his shoulder before he raised a hand up in the air to show the group his two crossed fingers.

Duke sighed and shook his head as he watched Ripcord disappear from sight. "I highly doubt that."

As Ripcord marched into Isabella's still dark room, another grin appeared on his face as he spotted the young woman's sleeping form still tucked away in her bed. Tip toeing carefully across the floor into the room, he approached the side of the bed closest to Isabella's head before he bent his head down to speak in her ear,

"Hey…" he began while he reached a hand down and lightly shook her by the shoulder, "Gotta get up now girl." He informed in a whisper. Isabella made a low warning sound in response before she scooted away from Ripcord's touch.

"Oh okay….it's gonna be like that, is it?" he replied in his normal tone. When Isabella remained silent, Ripcord eyes lit up with a sudden idea in waking up the young woman before him. He took a silent step closer to the bed before he purposely leaned out to lightly hover right above Isabella's form. Then as he leaned down as close as he could get towards her ear, he took in a deep breath before shouting,

"**Hey there sunshine**!"

Isabella's eyes snapped open at the extremely loud and shocking voice by her head. Her body in response jerked itself to the side; next thing Isabella knew, she was uttering a soft cry of surprise before tumbling out of the bed to the floor on the other side of the bed. Though Isabella was never really asleep since Breaker had come in, she was now very much awake. And very pissed off. Falling flat on her face in the early morning is not a good start for someone like Isabella. She slowly pushed herself off the ground and turned about to face Ripcord who still stood in his original place with a huge grin on his face. Isabella's turquoise eyes narrowed in a silent threat. Ripcord picked it up almost immediately because his grin vanished in a second before he started taking side steps towards the door. Isabella's head turned with his movement before she took started to advance on him Ripcord uttered a soft curse before he dashed out of the room. Isabella left right on his trail.

"**DUKE!**" Ripcord cried as he came out into the larger room where the group still stood waiting for him and the appearance of Isabella. As Ripcord crossed the room, he made a swift move to move around the couch that was in his way from getting to the safety of the group of Joes, but as he made his move to go around it, Isabella came right at him from behind before she easily cleared the couch in once smooth jump to intercept Ripcord's retreat. His feet skidded to a stop right in front of Isabella,

"Oh shi…" he began but was suddenly cut off by Isabella as she tackled him to the ground. The two tumbled to floor and after a few quick struggles, Isabella had Ripcord face down on the ground beneath her with one of his arms twisted up behind his back and her knee skillfully pressed into his middle back.

"Not a smart move Ripcord." Isabella informed in her low, dangerous tone. Ripcord's response to that was a grunt of discomfort followed by laughter coming from the group of people that stood watching the scene with great amusement. Isabella's eyes flashed upwards to stare over at the group of Joes and Duke.

"Quick on her feet isn't she?" Breaker asked out loud with a soft approving smile. Heavy Duty chuckled in response while Scarlet and Snake Eyes remained silent in their observations.

"Hey…hey Duke?" Ripcord mumbled out through his teeth, "…a little help?" he asked. Duke shook his head before he walked over to his fallen friend and glanced down on him before he looked over to Isabella,

"Nice tackle." He stated. Isabella nodded her head in thanks before she roughly released her hold on Ripcord before swiftly rising to her feet and stepping over Ripcord's form. Duke then reached down and helped Ripcord pull himself off the floor.

"Well now that you're finally here, we can get you guys ready for training." Scarlet suddenly spoke out as she eyed Isabella with uncertainty, "…but first….you'll need a change of clothes." She stated as she took in Isabella's skinny jeans and blue cami. "….and boots." She added before she turned on her heel and marched off. After a couple minuets, Scarlet came back carrying a neatly folded uniform that matched the rest of the Joes, including, as Isabella actually took time to notice, Duke and Ripcord. She quickly handed the uniform over to Isabella along with some black army boots.

"Hurry and change." She ordered in a firm voice.

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." She mumbled softly before she then swiftly left the group to change her clothes. After switching her jeans and cami for the fitting, gray cammo pants and T-shirt, Isabella then put on some socks before slipping her feet into the army boots and tying the laces up. With a bored sigh, not even bothering to look herself over in a mirror, Isabella went back out to the group. "Ta Da." She stated in an unenthusiastic tone.

"Right." Said Heavy Duty before he glanced over at the rest of his team, "Let's put these newbies to the test." He informed the group of Joes who all nodded their heads in response.

"Duke, Ripcord," Heavy Duty continued as he turned his gaze upon the two NATO soldiers, "You're starting with me. Isabella…" he paused momentarily to look the young woman over, "…Scarlet will handle you."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12:

Both of Isabella's eyebrows rose up at the new information that Heavy Duty had just stated, then she glanced over at Scarlet who she could've sworn was smirking at the task she had just been assigned to.

"Oh yeah….this is gonna be a great day…" she muttered sarcastically inside her head.

"Well then," Scarlet spoke up, "…let's get started." She stated in an enthusiastic tone that was way too happy for Isabella's tastes.

"Right." Heavy Duty agreed before he pointed to Ripcord and Duke, "You two…with me. Now." He ordered before he turned on his heel and walked away from the group, heading for the bunker's exit. Ripcord and Duke shared a quick glanced before they hurried after the bigger man. Breaker chuckled softly before he too then departed from the circle of Joes,

"Well if anyone needs me, I'll be with my computer watching the two new guys." He stated. Once Breaker was gone, leaving Isabella alone with Scarlet and Snake Eyes, she turned towards Scarlet who had that Oh-the-things-I'm gonna-put-you-through kind of look displayed on her face, and nodded her head in acceptance,

"You're going to enjoy this aren't you?" she stated in a calm voice. Scarlet straightened up at the acknowledgement and softly smirked,

"Indubitably." She replied. Isabella nodded again before she brought both of her hands up, linked them together and cracked her knuckles in response,

"Well then have at it." She challenged. Scarlet's smirk widened softly before she gave a soft jerk of her redhead, signaling that Isabella was to follow as she led the way out of the bunker, leaving Snake Eyes behind. As they entered the training arena, Isabella stared in wonder at the different exercises going on at once; some involved training with arms, others worked on hand to hand combat. Scarlet took her over where a simulator had been set up,

"This is going to test your aim and reflexes with a gun." She stated as she made her way over to the machine's controls where she quickly typed in something before walking over to a rack of guns. She grabbed the closest automatic before she turned back to Isabella, "Catch." She called to her before she neatly tossed her the weapon. Isabella took a step forward and caught the gun cleanly in her hands. She took a couple moments to look it over and adjust to the weight of it since it was much heavier than the pistol she use to carry around before she looked up at Scarlet for her instructions,

"Your goal is to hit all of the targets under the time of three minuets." Scarlet stated while she crossed her arms over her chest. "Your score and time will be recorded here." She pointed out as she signaled over to an electronic board.

Isabella nodded her head at the information, "Sounds simple enough." She mumbled under her breath while she took up the gun in preparation, "Let's do this." She added in a louder voice so Scarlet could here.

Scarlet smirked before she reached a hand out and pressed a button on a remote that she now held in her hands. Once Isabella saw the timer moving she turned about to face the simulator. Holographic images of viper soldiers came out into the open from the windows and doorways of the tall simulator that was set up to look like a couple buildings standing next to each other. Isabella eyed her first few targets before she raised her gun up and fired. Once those had been cleared, more came out. And Isabella quickly discovered that the faster you take them out, the faster they come back at you. The harder targets even shot back at you with an electric shock. Keeping herself light on her toes, Isabella skillfully moved about the simulator floor, shooting when she had a target, dodging when she receiving fire while concentrating on making her hits under three minuets. When her last target was taken out, Isabella stopped her firing and turned to glance over at the clock. She frowned softly before swearing,

"Damn…" she grumbled under her breath.

"Mmm..." Scarlet stated out loud as she too checked out the scoreboard, "…3:08:56….not bad….but the goal is to get under three minuets." Scarlet reminded smartly.

Isabella licked her now dry lips before she turned her eyes upon the redhead,  
"….my bad…" she sarcastically replied, her eyes softly narrowing in response.

"Go again." Scarlet ordered before she raised the remote up and hit the button that would start the exercise all over again.

Isabella had only a quick second to glare resentfully over at Scarlet before she jumped back into the simulator. This time through, sweat broke out on the top of Isabella's forehead and her breathing quickened in response to her determination of making it under those three minuets. When she tried to glance at the clock when it had reached the two minuet marker, Isabella found herself thrown back across the floor as a powerful electric shock that came from an unexpected target, struck her square in the chest, knocking the automatic right out of her hands. She slid back a couple feet and watched with wide eyes as her gun slid even further out of reach before it stopped right by Scarlet's boots. Isabella swore at her situation before she pulled her gaze back up to the scoreboard; it now read 2:25:43 and she still had five targets left. Isabella rolled onto her back and skillfully flipped to her feet before she ran over to the rack of guns that lied less than eight feet away on her left side and reached for a handheld. Taking the gun up in her right hand, she spun on her heel to face the simulator and fired at the moving targets.

"1….2,3…..4" She counted out loud through gritted teeth; when her fifth and final target appeared at window at the top of building, Isabella aimed the gun and fired, nailing her target right in between his eyes.

Scarlet had watched Isabella with surprised eyes at how she had handled the situation of being disarmed and marveled at how fast and precise her aim was with a handheld. When she glanced over at the clock she was even more impressed, "2:49:33." She stated.

At the news, Isabella turned her head up to the ceiling and let out sigh of accomplishment before she raised both fisted hands up into the air victoriously. "Yesss!" she exclaimed softly before she did a jazzy spin on her heels as a little happy dance. When she stopped, she found Heavy Duty standing off to the far right side watching. He carried with him a notepad of some sort and had a look of deep consideration on his face. Isabella watched as he eyed her before he glanced over at the scoreboard then quickly wrote something down in his notes. When he looked back up at Isabella, he nodded his head in what Isabella took was approval before he walked off.

"You've got good reaction time with a gun, I'll give you that." Scarlet stated as she approached Isabella from behind with her arms crossed over her chest. Isabella turned about to fact the redhead with an almost surprised look on her face,

"Wow…that's probably been the nicest thing you've ever said to me." She replied.

Scarlet's mouth turned up at a corner slightly, "Yes well…." Scarlet answered, "…try not to get use to it." she finished.

"Wasn't going to; so what now?" Isabella asked curiously, "…are we going to run through this again?"

Scarlet shook her head, "No….we're done here." She answered before she turned her head to look over at where another training exercise was being performed.

"Sweet." Isabella replied with a tiny grin causing Scarlet to laugh,

"Oh I wouldn't get too excited just yet." The redhead answered before looking back at where Isabella stood.

"Ah….and this next exercise…it involves….?" Isabella questioned with mild interest.

"Hand to hand combat." Scarlet replied.

"Oh that's nothing." Isabella stated while she quickly flicked her wrist, brushing off her next trial. "I've got that stuff down already."

"Great." Scarlet derisively exclaimed, "This way then." She added while she started to walk off. Isabella, after returning the handheld to where she had found it, followed behind as Scarlet took her across the training arena and led her over to a group of about twelve GI Joe male soldiers who were all huddled in a half circle.

"So what kind of hand to hand will I be doing over here?" Isabella asked as she eyed the backs of the men who seemed to be watching something going on the other side of the circle. The distinctive sounds of a fight reached Isabella ears following by the loud grunt of a man as he was thrown back off his feet. She and Scarlet moved around the huddled men to get a better view. What Isabella saw brought her to a quick stop as her eyes came to rest on what exactly her next task was.

"No way…" she began while shaking her head slowly; when she turned to look over at Scarlet, she found the redhead smirking, "I've got to fight HIM?" she asked in disbelief.

Scarlet's eyebrows lifted and dropped in response before she turned her head to stare over at the last man standing in the fight, "Hey Snake!" she called over to the black clad ninja, "…I've got a new one for you!" she informed.

Snake Eyes, who stood tall in a firm fighting stance with his powerful legs braced apart while being slightly bent at the knees, turned his black head at the sound of Scarlet's voice to quickly glance over at Isabella. Through his black visor, Isabella felt his eyes land on her momentarily before he nodded his head at Scarlet. The soldier he had been fighting just moments ago had now just picked himself off the ground and seeing Snake Eyes' attention drawn elsewhere, tried a sneak attack aimed at the ninja's back. Before the man could lay down his blow, Snake Eyes took a swift step sideways and countered the attack with a hard jab to his side. While the man hunched over slightly at the strike, Snake Eyes wasted no time in ending the match with a smooth take down. Grabbing the soldier's arm with one hand, he gave it a forceful twist, causing the man to spin with it before Snake Eyes sweep kicked his feet right out from underneath him. As the soldier fell hard to the ground with a loud grunt, Isabella's mouth softly dropped open.

"Don't worry…" Scarlet suddenly spoke up from alongside Isabella's form, "…Snake Eyes goes easy on the first day." She informed with a mocking smirk.

The moment those words left Scarlet's mouth, Isabella slowly turned to face Scarlet so that her back faced the fighting arena while her turquoise eyes narrowed at the redhead, "I don't need _him_ going easy." She replied, "I can match whatever he's got to throw at me." She declared with determination.

As Scarlet's smirked deepened, her green eyes flickered away from Isabella's face for a moment before returning, "Hey, no need telling me this, why don't you go tell him that yourself." She suggested as her arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest in amusement.

"Why tell when I can easily just show?" Isabella replied in a daring tone.

Again Scarlet's eyes glanced off into the distance behind Isabella's shoulder before replying, "….Snake Eyes says he's ready whenever you are."

That made Isabella stop for a quick second before she glanced behind her and spotted Snake Eyes standing just a couple feet away. No doubt he had been listening to every word Isabella had just spoken.

"I've been ready." Isabella answered as she softly glared over at the black clad ninja. Unbeknownst to her, Snake Eyes cocked an amused eyebrow before he raised his hands and quickly signed back. Isabella watched his swift hand motions but could not comprehend what he was saying. So Scarlet stepped in once more to translate,

"He says 'well then let's see what'cha got.'" Scarlet answered.

"After you, ninja boy." Isabella replied in a cool tone, her eyes never leaving Snake Eyes' masked face. While the two had a silent stare down, Scarlet took that opportunity to take a couple steps back from the pair.

"Alright I can see that you can take things from here now Snake, so with that said, you two have fun." Scarlet stated before she turned on her heel and started to walk off.

Isabella's head turned to follow Scarlet,

"You're not staying?" Isabella called to her retreating form as her eyes once more darted back over to where Snake Eyes stood.

"Wish I could…I'm sure this is going to be an amusing sight to witness but as of right now, I've got Duke and Ripcord coming in, so I can't." the redhead answered in a matter of fact tone.

"But…but he doesn't speak!" Isabella threw back, "….how the heck will I know what he wants?"

"Oh Snake Eyes has his way of getting his message across….trust me, you'll know exactly what he's telling you." Scarlet replies with a tiny laugh before she quickened her pace, shook her head in amusement and walked away.

A quiet groan of frustration passed through Isabella's lips before she turned her body to face her new instructor. With his head cocked to the side and his arms crossed over his well muscled chest, Snake Eyes eyed the young woman before him with curiosity and slight interest. Isabella quickly huffed at her situation before she moved across the floor, passing right by Snake Eyes to position herself somewhere in the fighting ring. Once there, she turned about to face the black ninja before she stepped out in a strong fighting stance, with her hands up at the ready,

"Your move ninja boy." She called to him. Snake Eyes' arms uncrossed themselves from his chest before he dropped them to his side. Then he did something Isabella was not entirely expecting, he turned his black head to the side and nodded softly at another male soldier who then stepped out into the ring to face Isabella.

"You're the new one we've just picked up aren't you?" the man asked curiously while he slowly approached where Isabella stood before stopping once they stood about three feet apart from each other.

"People call me Isabella." She coolly answered. The man quickly looked her up and down before he too took up a fighting stance,

"….you're a lot younger then I expected. Have you any experience with hand to hand?" He questioned curiously. Isabella frowned at that.

Without giving him a reply or a single warning, she sprung into action, closing the distance between them so that she could face him head on. When her fist made contact, the soldier instantly put up his defenses. But Isabella was easily able to break through it in just a matter of seconds. She landed a couple blows in his midsection before performing a fluid round house kick right into his gut; the solider grunted as he was knocked off his feet. The momentum of it all sent the man sliding back across the floor before coming to a stop. Isabella relaxed from her stance, lowering her hands down to her side before she walked over to the fallen soldier and lightly hovered above his form,

"I don't know…" she answered his question, "….you tell me." She returned sweetly. The man let out a groan in response before he rolled himself to his feet. About halfway up, Isabella offered him her hand as a sign of good sportsmanship. The soldier gave her a tiny smile of gratitude in response. Once he was back on his feet, he nodded once at Isabella before he went back to his place outside the ring. The onlookers gazed upon Isabella with both admiration and surprise while they sent low murmurs around their little huddle about the performance they had just watched. Then with a deep sigh, Isabella turned about on her heel to once more face the still observing Snake Eyes.

"Anyone else?" she inquired; her turquoise eyes flashing with a silent challenge. Isabella watched with satisfaction as Snake Eyes straightened up to his full height before he stepped out into the ring. Widening her stance with her hands at the ready, Isabella prepared herself to take on her new opponent. Low murmurs and chuckles went around the ring of men watching the scene, especially when they observed Isabella's cool confidence with the black ninja who also took up his fighting stance. Then, almost like a green flag had been waved in front of their faces signaling the start of the fight, at the same time, Isabella and Snake Eyes charged for each other.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 13:

Snake Eyes reached Isabella first before he took a predictable swing at her head which she swiftly dodged and threw one right back. His black gloved hand caught her fist in mid swing, effectively preventing the blow. Needing her hand back, Isabella took a step out towards the black ninja and raised her knee so that she could nail him in his center. When it ran into his hard midsection, though it didn't hurt Snake Eyes, it caused him to release Isabella's hand and retreat back a tiny step. Using that to her advantage, Isabella closed in on her black clad opponent, throwing punches at one area while kicking at others.

Though Snake Eyes was able to block every single blow she threw, he had to admit to himself that she knew what she was doing. And even though she was fairly good at being able to counter his own attacks, Snake Eyes was able to see her one weakness with her fighting strategy. She focuses too much on keeping a strong, front center, which is can be a very decent tactic, but it will leave you vulnerable if your opponent finds a way to break it by attacking from behind. And Snake Eyes knew how to do that.

When Isabella made a move to jab him in his left shoulder, Snake Eyes sidestepped the attack before he swiftly moved behind her. Before Isabella could turn about to face him, Snake Eyes reached around and caught Isabella's neck in the crook of his arm. While she reached up to pry his arm back so she could get out of his head lock, his other arm snaked itself about her waist. Using one leg, Snake Eyes slipped it between Isabella's and knocked her foot out so that her balance would be thrown off. As she stumbled for a quick moment to try and regain her footing, Snake Eyes used his overpowering strength and dragged the young woman down to ground.

Isabella wanted to scream in frustration when she landed right on her stomach with Snake Eyes hovering above her, pressing one knee into her back as he continued to hold her steady in his head lock. When their fight had first started, she was doing pretty well, but then their fight turned into a wrestling match, and now Isabella found herself pinned. Snake Eyes' hold on her was unbreakable. With a huffed sigh, Isabella shifted her head slightly so she could get the words out,

"Alright….I yield." She spoke through gritted teeth.

Behind Snake Eyes' mask, his mouth turned up in a soft smile before he released Isabella and stood up from the ground.

When the weight on her back had disappeared, Isabella pushed herself up off the ground and casually brushed herself off. When she looked up, she saw Snake Eyes standing just a couple feet away, looking at her. She gave a quick nod towards him which he returned before she made a move to pass the well muscled ninja and went to take a place in the ring of men. She walked about three steps before her arm was grabbed and twisted up behind her back, not painfully but enough to make her hiss at the pressure being exerted. When she turned her head to glance over her shoulder, she rolled her eyes when they landed on Snake Eyes.

"Oh, now what do you want?" she groaned in annoyance. His response was firmer grip on her arm. Knowing she wasn't going to get any straight answers from him, she turned her attention on the audience watching. Most of the men watching were trying to contain grins when Isabella spoke out to them, "A little help?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the soldier that Isabella had fought earlier, answered while chucking; "…He wants you to fight."

Isabella stared in disbelief at the soldier, "You have got to be kidding me…" she answered. To confirm the statement himself, Snake Eyes swiftly changed the position of her arm only to give it a forceful lift and jerk that caused her to flip and land flat on her back. She winced softly at the impact but then flashed her now angry eyes up at Snake Eyes who stood standing looking down on her fallen form. Her anger only grew when the black ninja beckoned her up with two fingers as he waited for her to pick herself up off the ground.

"Right." She muttered through her teeth.

Since she was already on the ground, might as well use that to her advantage. In one swift movement, Isabella rotated her body around on the floor so that her legs were pointed right at Snake Eyes before she landed a hard kick to his shins. The blow sent Snake Eyes stumbling back a couple steps, allowing Isabella to jump to her feet before she threw herself at Snake Eyes. The black ninja was ready to meet her head on, like he had been anticipating it. As they continued back and forth, giving hits only to be blocked at the last minuet, Isabella actually found herself breaking sweat. And if Snake Eyes was as well, you wouldn't be able to tell because of his well masked being.

When given a free opportunity, Isabella pulled back from the fight and placed some distance between her and the black ninja to catch her breath. Panting, Isabella raised a hand up and used the back to wipe away the beads of sweet forming on her forehead as she kept her eyes locked on Snake Eyes form. Most fights that Isabella's ever been in, it'd start off with her making the first move and it end with her finishing it off.

"But with him…" she thought to herself, her eyes quickly analyzing Snake Eyes. It's simply not the same. In hopes of turning the tables, Isabella decided that instead of going to him, he'd just have to come to her.

Pacing back and forth across the floor, waiting patiently for Isabella to rejoin him, Snake Eyes couldn't help the tiny smile pulling on his lips as he watched the young woman. He could tell by her body language that she was a bit frustrated but nonetheless was also determined to come out on top which was why she hadn't given up yet.

"I'm waiting." Isabella called over to him as she took up her fighting stance, lightly switching her weight back and forth on the balls of her feet, the way a boxer would do when readying himself for a fight. Snake Eyes didn't have to be told twice. As he lunged for Isabella, she quickly performed a smooth roundhouse kick aimed at his upper chest. But the ninja was a lot faster than she had estimated and ended up catching her foot in mid air.

"Oh crap…" she swore underneath her breath before Snake Eyes twisted her ankle slightly while cleanly knocking Isabella right off her feet. Landing on her side this time, Isabella, too pumped up with adrenaline to feel the impact of her fall, quietly grunted in anger at her second defeat. Of course, it wasn't enough for Isabella to just end up on the ground. As she pushed herself up on her knees, taking her time, Snake Eyes had one of her arms grabbed and restrained tightly behind her while he used his other hand to unsheathe his katana from his back which he then brought about her front to press the blade against her neck while the onlookers applauded seeing the fight had once again been brought to an intense end before they all scattered off in their own directions.

Isabella tensed when she felt the cool, sharp metal touch the bare skin on her neck. Then releasing a long, held breath, Isabella surprisingly relaxed herself in Snake Eyes hold to show her surrender. But when the black clad ninja choose to not stand down, she frowned and rolled her eyes before she started listing off commands.

"Sit…" she mumbled, "…stay….heal!" she finished. And go figure, he didn't appreciate being spoken to like a dog. When Snake Eyes pressed his blade firmer into her throat, Isabella's eyes narrowed before she called out to anyone who would listen,

"Can someone please call him off?" she asked irritably.

Distinctive female laughter reached Isabella's ears, followed by a pair of footsteps. Not bothering to contain herself, Isabella groaned out loud, knowing full well who that voice belonged to.

" Having fun over here?" Scarlet asked as she came around to Isabella's view. And she wasn't alone; General Hawk was with her too. Both had amused smirks on their faces as they stared down on Isabella's kneeling form.

"The time of my life…" Isabella grumbled sarcastically in response before she turned her head slightly to address the black ninja standing behind her, "Do you mind?" she demanded sharply.

Chuckling, General Hawk shook his head before he nodded at Snake Eyes, "Alright Snake, let her up." He ordered.

And just like that, Snake Eyes released his grip on Isabella's arm and stepped back, sheathing his deadly blade back on his back. With a huffed sigh, Isabella rose to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Thank you." She said nodding once over at the General in gratitude who smiled in response.

"So…" General Hawk began, "How has training been going, Lieutenant?" he asked.

Isabella took in a deep breath, "S'well sir." She replied dully, her eyes darting over to where Snake Eyes stood. The black ninja was silently signing things to Scarlet who in return was nodding her head in understanding.

"Good, good." The General replied, "….So far, from what I've been informed of and what I have just witnessed, things are going smoothly, Lieutenant." He added with a nod of approval, "…keep up the good work."

Taking that as a dismissal, Isabella nodded respectfully, "Where to now, sir?" she asked.

Right as the General opened his mouth to give Isabella her next instructions, Snake Eyes turned towards his commanding officer and starter signing things to him. Hawk watched the black ninja patiently as he expressed what was on his mind before a look of deep consideration came across the General's face.

"Hmm…" he murmured softly. For some reason, Isabella had a feeling that she didn't like where this was going. Her feelings were confirmed when General Hawk turned back to her, "It seems…" he started off, "….that Snake Eyes would like to work with you one on one." He stated causing Isabella to gape blankly at him. "He wants to try a few things with you on a different level before you're released to Heavy Duty."

Coming back to her senses, Isabella quickly shook off the stunned look upon her face before she gathered her wits about her and softly cleared her throat,  
"Ahem...General," she began professionally, "I'm sure that's a…a…wonderful opportunity," she stated, hiding the sarcasm in her voice before she turned her accusing gaze onto the black ninja, "….but I really don't think Snake Eyes wants to trouble himself with one such as me." She finished as she stared over into the hidden face of the ninja right across from her.

Though his masked face was expressionless on the outside, on the inside Snake Eyes was silently laughing. Even when their not duking it out in an arena, this woman insisted on putting up a fight with him.

"How interesting…" he thought to himself. Raising his black gloved hands up, he quickly signed something over to Isabella.

Isabella licked her dry lips as she watched his hands move before she glanced over at Scarlet to translate. The pretty redhead smiled quickly at her ninja friend before turning her attention onto Isabella, "Snake Eyes insists." She stated in an all too sweet tone. Isabella frowned before she turned her gaze back onto the General who was looking more amused then ever.

"Sir…" Isabella began in a serious tone, "Trust me…that last thing you want to do is put me and him together." She informed while she softly jerked her head in Snake Eyes' direction. General Hawk threw his head back and let out a bellowing laugh in response before he reached a hand out and clapped Isabella on the shoulder.

"Oh come now Lieutenant," he answered with a chuckled, "What could possibly happen?" he returned.

"We'll kill each other." She replied bluntly.

General Hawk grinned while rolling his blue eyes, "Pssh…I think you're exaggerating." He answered, "Surely there's not that much tension between the two of you." He stated while his eyes went back and forth from Isabella to his ninja soldier.

"Oh you have no idea…" Isabella mumbled while she glanced over at Snake Eyes to find him staring back. She almost did a double take when she could've sworn that a corner of his mouth hidden by his mask turned upwards in a smile.

"Well Lieutenant, I'm sorry that you feel this way." General Hawk stated, drawing the young woman's attention back onto him, "…but Snake Eyes has been left in charge of you for this part of your training. So whatever he says…goes." He informed.

Isabella, keeping her face composed, was mentally smacking her head up against a brick wall. "Perfect…." She grumbled sarcastically.

Another chuckle came from the General before he gave Isabella's shoulder an encouraging squeeze before he drew his hand back, "Tell you what though…" he added, "…why don't you take a quick, ten minuet break?" he offered while he walked over to where Scarlet stood. "Get some water…do some stretching…."

"Your gonna need it." Scarlet added in whisper. Whether or not Isabella was meant to hear it, Scarlet's words reached Isabella's ears and as her head snapped in the direction of Scarlet, her eyebrows rose up at the quiet threat,

"Excuse me?" she returned. Her only response was a devious smirk before Scarlet pivoted on her heels and strolled off without another word. Isabella glared resentfully at the redhead's retreating form before she turned her intense gaze back onto General Hawk. General Hawk shrugged his shoulders softly before he too started to walk off,

"As you were." He stated, ending the discussion before Isabella could protest further. Once he had also disappeared from sight, Isabella fumingly shook her head as she stared off in the direction that the two had wandered off in. With a quick roll of her eyes, Isabella turned about and practically jumped in surprise when she found Snake Eyes standing a couple feet away in front of her. Staring her straight in the face, he raised his black, well muscled arm up and lightly tapped his wrist with a finger, reminding Isabella that she was on a time limit.

Glaring up into his masked face, Isabella stalked around the black ninja while his dark head followed her movements with interest. "Thanks for the memo." She muttered as she passed on by and made her way down to the other end of the training room that she was in, the end where she had not yet been to. Seeing that there was nothing extremely special about this side of the room, Isabella located an exit and left, stepping out into one of the many corridors.

"Ok…" she spoke to herself, "….now what?" she asked out loud quietly, her head turning to see which way she wanted to go. Deciding to head left, Isabella took about three steps before an enthusiastic voice called her name from behind. Quickly glancing behind her, Isabella spotted Ripcord, Duke and Breaker approaching. Putting a friendly smile on her face, Isabella turned to greet the trio of men.

"Hey guys." She welcomed.

"Man, how's it going, girl?" Ripcord replied with a huge grin on his face.

"What have you been up to?" Duke added in behind Ripcord.

Isabella shrugged a shoulder, "Same stuff as you," she answered, "…just training."

"Well then what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Breaker stepped in curiously; like always, he was carrying in his arms his lap top and all the rest of his precious tech gear.

"Oh…well I've just been granted a quick break." She replied.

"A break?" Ripcord repeated, "Lucky! How long?" he questioned.

Isabella smiled softly and glanced down at the floor, "A whole ten minuets." She answered before adding sarcastically, "Woo…"

Duke chuckled and shook his head, "Ten minuets, huh?"

"Yeah I know, go crazy right?" she replied while she looked back up at the men watching her and smiled. They all chuckled in response before Ripcord cocked his head to the side as he studied Isabella,

"Hey girl, what'cha 'breaking' from?" he asked. Isabella could read the curiosity on his face and sighed,

"Ninja boy." She answered unexcitedly. Ripcord made a face of dramatic pain,

"Ouch." He stated while he brought a hand up and scratched his head.

"Tell me about it." Isabella agreed while shaking her head, "When my break is over, I've been ordered to spend some one on one time with the guy because apparently he wants to bump my training up a notch."

Duke reached out and lightly patted Isabella on her shoulder, "Good luck with that." He stated sympathetically.

Shrugging a shoulder, Isabella brushed the comment off, "Personally, I'm not even sure if I'll return to him to finish our….session." she confessed. "I'm so tempted right now to just bail." She added.

Breaker clicked his tongue cautiously, "I don't know if you should do that…" he warned. "It'd be pretty pointless to try anyway." He added.

Isabella raised an eyebrow up at the computer wiz's words, "Meaning?" she inquired.

"Firstly, I don't know anyone who would even _think_ about skipping out on a session with him, and secondly even if you did, chances are he'd just go out and find you, wherever you are." He answered.

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Great, so he's a master at sword fighting and martial arts and **now **what? You're saying he's also a tracker?" she returned.

"To put it in plain words for you?" Breaker replied, "Yes." He finished with a nod of his head.

Sighing, Isabella shook her head before she walked over and leaned her back up against the wall, "To run….or not to run…that is the question." she mocked out loud while closing her eyes.

"Well I hope you've figured out the answer to that one." Ripcord stated, his head staring back into the doorway that led inside the training arena. The other two men mimic his action before chuckling softly.

Without even opening her eyes, Isabella replied. "Why?"

"Because your ninja boy is on his way over right now."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14:

Isabella's turquoise eyes snapped open at that piece of information.

"Damn…." She swore, her head turning to see the three men huddling by the doorway, looking as they watched Snake Eyes approach. "Well stop looking!" she hissed at them. Instantly, they pulled back and moved away from the doorway. Isabella pushed herself off the wall and took a step towards the opening thinking that she might as well meet Snake Eyes head on but stopped and faced away from it, tapping her foot indecisively.

"You really don't like Zen Master, huh?" Ripcord guessed as he walked over to where Isabella stood. Isabella shook her head at the thought.

"There's something about him that just sets me off." She answered honestly.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with him jumping you back when we all first crossed paths now would it?" Ripcord asked knowingly as he moved to stand directly in front of Isabella so he could read her facial expression.

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Hmpf…if you can even call it 'jumping'." She replied.

Duke raised an eyebrow at that, "You don't think so?" he returned with a small amused smile playing across his face as he and Breaker formed a small huddle in front of Isabella. Turning her intense gaze upon Duke, Isabella shook her head,

"No I don't." she answered firmly.

"Why?" Breaker asked, "Because he never actually tackled you to the ground?" he answered himself.

"Because personally, I found his tactic cowardly." She declared. "It's one thing to use the element of surprise on someone, its something else when you deliberately attack them from behind as your first move." She explained.

"Ooh burn!" Ripcord stated as he spoke into his fist. "I swear, you've got some major guts for saying that out loud, girl." He praised.

Breaker, who now appeared to be looking off in the distance over Isabella's shoulder, cleared his throat nervously, "Well Snake Eyes is a Ninja assassin." Breaker stated, "That's how he was trained…. it's what he does." He paused for a second, "That's what makes him so lethal to our team."

"Lethal?" Isabella repeated in disbelief. Ripcord shrugged and nodded his head,

"Yeah, I have to admit that that ninja isn't someone I'd wanna mess with." He confessed before shuddering, "Ugh….to be completely honest, he scares me."

Isabella looked over at Ripcord and shook her head while a quick laugh escaped her lips, "Well he doesn't scare me in the slightest."

"So you're saying that you can handle him?" Duke suddenly spoke up.

"Hell yeah." She replied confidently.

Breaker, who was still staring off in the distance, took that moment to softly elbow Duke in his side. And when Duke found what he was staring at he passed the light jab onto Ripcord. When Ripcord finally joined on in with the other two men, he let out a quick swear.

"Oh snap!" he murmured in surprise which earned him other jab.

Isabella, carefully reading their faces, rolled her eyes knowingly, "He's right behind me, isn't he?" she calmly asked out loud. All three men nodded.

With a sigh, she turned about on her heel and found Snake Eyes leaning casually up against the side wall closest to her; his arms were crossed over his chest and his head was slightly cocked to the side.

"Can I help you?" she asked irritably, knowing full well why he was there. Silently, the black clad ninja pushed himself off the wall and came to stand directly in front of Isabella. His towering form, rippling with muscles momentarily caught Isabella's eye but she quickly shook such thoughts off as she raised her chin defiantly to stare Snake Eyes down. To answer her question, Snake Eyes jerked his head softly in the direction of the training arena.

"Of course…." She muttered in a completely false, sweet tone, "How could I forget our little…..engagement." she stated before she grudgingly moved around the black ninja, heading back to the arena. "Lord give me strength." She added in a hushed, aggravated tone.

Nodding once at the trio of men, Snake Eyes turned and followed behind Isabella. For a little bit, he let her lead the way, but then by using his long strides, he easily passed her by signaling that she was now to follow him.

Frowning at his back, Isabella complied and found that he was not taking her back to the same place as before. Instead, Snake Eyes took her into a separate room that was still connected to the main one they had just came from; only this one was much smaller and offered isolation from peering eyes. As Isabella stepped hesitantly inside, she found that the ground was, instead of its usual concrete flooring, somewhat soft and squishy. Jumping slightly, Isabella discovered the entire ground was made up of a mat, like the ones you'd find inside a gym. Isabella walked slowly out into the room's center where Snake Eyes now stood, waiting. When he made no move towards her, or gave her any sign of communication, Isabella shrugged a shoulder,

"Ok….so now what?" she asked breaking the silence. Briefly nodding his head, Snake Eyes turned away and walked over to the corner on the far left side where a rack of weapons rested. He picked one up and carried it back over to Isabella before he skillfully tossed it to her. Swearing quickly, Isabella reached out and received the weapon of Snake Eyes' choice in her hand as it closed firmly about a metal hilt. Isabella blinked as she let her gaze trail up the katana's blade. While Isabella took some time to look her weapon over, Snake Eyes turned around and approached the wall behind him where a white board hung. Grabbing a marker at the bottom of it, he brought the utensil up and quickly started to write.

When Isabella finally pulled her eyes away from the katana in her hand, she was even more surprised to see that Snake Eyes had finished his message to her up front. Her eyes quickly scanned over his words.

"_Take up your fighting stance." _He wrote. Isabella had to run that message by her again because the first time she read it, she couldn't believe where he was going with this.

"Uhh…." She began, her eyes locked on the board before she pulled them down to look over at Snake Eyes "You can't be serious, right?" she returned.

In one swift movement, Snake Eyes reached up behind him and unsheathed his own katana before bringing it down by his side.

"Oh boy, you are serious!" she exclaimed softly. Snake Eyes braced his legs apart and took up a very powerful fighting stance, his katana raised up in front like he was preparing to attack. Once again, he signaled to the board with his head.

"Eh…." Isabella murmured, suddenly feeling uncertain about her situation before she tired to mimic a stance by watching Snake Eyes' form. "But I'm not a sword fighter…" she quietly protested.

Underneath his mask, Snake Eyes felt his mouth turning up in a smile. Then in a flash, he lunged for Isabella with his katana raised high in the air before he started to bring it down.

"Whoa!" Isabella declared before she instinctively brought her own weapon up and held it defensively in front of her. The sound of metal clanging against metal gently rattled Isabella's ears when Snake Eyes' katana connected with her own but what surprised Isabella the most was the fact that she had managed to block the ninja's blow. Staring into Snake Eyes masked face with wide eyes, Isabella suddenly found her heart pounding wildly within her chest.

Nodding his head in approval, Snake Eyes drew back before he slowly started circling the young woman. She followed his movement with her head at first before she took up mirroring it. Snake Eyes noted to himself that she knew how to pick up on things quickly before he charged on in and attacked once more, this time instead of leaving it at one blow, he swiped a couple of times to see how'd she react. She dodged the first, blocked the second and when the third came down, she jumped back at out range and retreated back a couple more steps.

"Ok…" she breathed, "I just hope you realize that when I had made that comment to General Hawk about us 'killing each other', I wasn't making any suggestions by it!" she threw at him.

Another smile tugged at his lips before Snake Eyes calmly shook his head. Then he surprised Isabella by putting his weapon away and walking back to the board in the front where he then erased his old message and wrote a new one.

"_I was simply testing you_." His note said, "_And you did not disappoint. You've got potential." _When he had finished with that sentence, he turned about to face Isabella who found herself stunned by his words; he had actually given her a compliment. "Uhh…thanks?" she replied uncertain by what he mean by 'potential'.

Snake Eyes turned away to continue writing, "_Horrible fighting stance and positioning of your katana though_." He added critically.

"Yup, that's what I was waiting for." Isabella thought to herself while rolling her eyes at the comment. "Well better that than learning I'm completely incompetent." She answered out loud.

Snake Eyes nodded his head in both amusement and agreement before he turned away from the board and slowly approached Isabella. Stopping in front of her, he reached a hand out and gently removed the katana from her hand before he went to go put it away. Once that was done, on his way back he stopped at the board to write on last message,

"_You're free to go," _he wrote, "_Though_ _I have a strong feeling thought that we will be seeing each other again very soon."_ He added before he capped the marker and set it down. When he turned about, Isabella was watching him with her intense gaze. Then once she quickly reread the last part of his message again, a tiny, challenging smile pulled at her lips,

"Don't be so sure of yourself." She replied coolly. Then without another word, Isabella turned on her heel and swiftly left the room, leaving behind an extremely bemused Snake Eyes who watched her leave his sight with a soft shake of his masked head.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15:

(Back at Cobra Base)

"We've located the warheads." James McCullen stated as he waltzed into the Doctor's Laboratory. "I've sent Storm Shadow to meet up with the Baroness so that they can retrieve them." He stated.

The Doctor, dressed in his usual black attire, looked up from the desk he was hovering about, "Any news of the girl?" he asked. McCullen shook his head.

"No." the Scottish man answered, "…But I'm taking a smart guess that the Joes probably had picked her up."

"Hmm…" said the Doctor as he thought about McCullen's words before he straightened up to his full height and moved around the desk he was working at to pace across the floor. He had his hands clasped comfortably behind his back as he moved. "Send word to Storm Shadow that he's to keep a look out for Miss Wright if indeed she's at Joe Headquarters." The Doctor informed,

McCullen raised an eyebrow at the order, "And if he spots her there?"

"Tell him that he's to….pick up and deliver." The Doctor answered.

"Alright….but if you don't mind me asking Doctor, what does this one girl have to do with our plans?" McCullen asked. The Doctor turned about to face the Scottish man in response,

"It's what she can do to help our plans progress, James. That's what makes her so vital to us."

"If she's so fundamental Doctor, then perhaps next time she's here, you get right on taming the little vixen so she doesn't run off again." McCullen ordered before he turned and left the room.

The Doctor dark eyes followed McCullen until he was out of sight. Then with a sigh, "Don't worry…" he spoke out, "…next time, she won't get away so easily."

* * *

(At GI Joe Headquarters)

"Alright…" came Heavy Duty's voice through the ship's intercom system, "…bring her up."

Isabella, sitting behind in the pilot's chair as she directed the ship to weave its way through an underwater obstacle course, nodded her head obediently at the order. "Roger that." She replied before she took up the controls and pulled back on joint stick that would allow the ship to surface. As it breeched the water, Isabella steered it over to a platform where Heavy Duty was waiting for her. Once she had climbed out of the ship and hopped down to the solid metal dock, and began approaching the extremely large and muscular black man, he quickly finished typing his last observations on Isabella's performance. His mechanical notepad flashed momentarily before emitting a soft beep. Then on its screen, it displayed Isabella's final score for the exercise while it ranking her with other people in the GI Joe Facility.

Isabella watched Heavy Duty's dark eyes as they skimmed over the screen for a quick second before he looked up from his notepad to stare down at her.

"Not bad for a newbie." He stated in his low, accented voice. "A bit on the wild side when it comes to steering and stunt pulling," he added sternly, "….but I like the energy you place behind it." He finished off with a very, tiny smile which he tried to hide by looking away.

"You're done for the day." He dismissed before he turned on his heel and walked off without another word.

Isabella let out sigh, "Well great!" she stated out loud to herself, "….now what?" she asked. With a soft shrug of her shoulders, Isabella too found herself leaving the water room and decided to head back to the bunker. It took her some time to do so being the fact that she had to go to a different floor and that required tracking down an elevator. And even when she found one, when she reached the correct floor she still had to seek out the bunker's exact location. All in all, it took her about 15 minuets. When Isabella finally waltzed on through the automatic door leading inside, it was then when she finally took notice of how stiff and sore her limbs actually were. The feeling was slightly unfamiliar to Isabella being the fact that she was a very fit, young woman but the things that she had been doing that day, it was like a full year of her old training that was compacted into one single day. And half of the stuff that she did she had never tried before.

Isabella quickly took notice how she apparently was the only one back from training and decided that while she waited for the others to return, she'd go a take a nice, hot shower and clean up. She swiftly went to her bedroom and locked herself in the bathroom before stripping down, freeing her hair from it pony tail, and turning on the shower. As she stepped inside, the hot, steamy water against her skin almost instantly melted away all her tense muscles. A sigh a pleasure escaped past her lips as she closed her eyes to savor the feeling. The she used the shampoo, conditioner and body wash that was provided inside to scrub her body down and wash away the grime from training. When the last of the suds had been rinsed away, Isabella turned off the water, wrung out her long, dripping hair and stepped out of the shower before grabbing a towel to wrap around her torso. While she let her body dry off, Isabella located a comb on the bathroom sink and gently ran it through her wet and slightly tangled hair. Once it finally ran smoothly down her back, it still being fairly damp, Isabella brushed it over her left shoulder and skillfully weaved it into a neat braid. Then she dropped her towel and began getting dressed.

After putting on her underclothes, she pulled back on the fitting, gray cammo pants and sports bra but switched out the grey T-shirt for her blue cami. And then deciding that she wouldn't be doing anything huge for the rest of the day, she pulled on her socks but left out her boots. Now that she was clean and dressed comfortably, Isabella grabbed her boots off the ground, carried them out of the bathroom and her bedroom and walked over to the couch before dropping them alongside it while she herself collapsed face first down on its comfy cushions. Using her arms as a pillow, Isabella closed her eyes peacefully as her body relaxed in its position. The bunker was still quiet, which didn't bother Isabella in the least,

"There's nothing better…" she murmured dreamily, "…than a little peace and quiet." she finished with a genuine smile pulling at her lips. Suddenly, the bunker's door slid open with a hiss followed by the sound of multiple voices chattering away. Isabella's eyes calmly fluttered open in response as the team of Joes, including Duke and Ripcord strolled into the room in one giant pack.

"Well…easy come, easy go." She grumbled in soft disappointment now that her quiet time was most definitely over now.

"Oh there you are, Bella." Said Breaker; he was the first to notice Isabella lounging on the couch. With a sigh, Isabella pushed herself up on her elbows before she twisted her hips, swung her legs over the side and sat up.

"Yup," she replied, "…here I am." She confirmed. Now that space had been made on the couch, Breaker walked over and took a seat right next to her. Everyone else seemed to close in as well. Enthusiastic as always, Ripcord jumped the back of the sofa and plopped right down next to Breaker.

"How's it going, girl?" he asked with his usual grin. Isabella went back and forth between Breaker's nerdy little smile and Ripcord's goofy grin before she found herself smiling in return,

"Same old, same old." Isabella replied casually while she raised her arms up over her head and stretched.

"How long have you been back?" Scarlet's voice suddenly asked. Isabella glanced to her left to see the redhead standing a few feet away with her arms crossed over her chest. Isabella shrugged in response,

"No more than 20 minuets I suppose." She answered. "Little more than half an hour if you want to include the time it took me to get back here." She added smartly. As Heavy Duty passed on by, he snorted softly in response and mumbled in a incoherent voice the word "Newbie" while shaking his head in what could've been amusement.

"How'd things go for you, Duke?" Isabella asked curiously as she suddenly turned her attention onto the blonde, blue-eyed soldier that was walking around the room.

"Smooth." He answered, turning to face the young woman before nodding, "I'm guessing it was the same with you?"

"Uhh…" Isabella replied uncertainly, "…sure." She finished with a quick laugh. Duke grinned in response before he walked over to stand behind Ripcord; he clapped his friend on the shoulder for a quick second before Duke turned and left for his room.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower before dinner." He announced before disappearing from sight.

Isabella raised an eyebrow at that, "Is it really that late?" she asked out loud her eyes going from one person to the next.

"Yup!" Breaker confirmed, "…..precisely 1800 hours." Meaning 6 O'clock on the dot.

"Wow." Isabella softly exclaimed, "I had no idea."

It was Scarlet's turn to now arch an eyebrow, "How could you not know the time?" the redhead asked.

"I was too bit busy to try and locate a clock." She answered with a shoulder shrug.

Scarlet rolled her green eyes before she too walked away and headed for her bedroom.

With another sigh, Isabella rose up from the couch, "Hey Breaker," she asked. The computer wiz, who was now busy messing around with his laptop, looked up at his name.

"Hmm?" he inquired curiously as he continued typing on his keyboard without even glancing down at his fingers,

"Is the Mess Hall serving now?" she asked. Breaker grinned in response,

"Yes." He replied, "Yes they are."

"Oh snap!" Ripcord exclaimed before he flew up from his seat, "Well than what are we still doing here?" he asked. Isabella smiled as she and Ripcord shared a knowing glance with each other. Breaker laughed before he closed his laptop and set it down next to him before he too stood up.

"Well if we want to be first in line for food we best leave now before the rush for food starts." Breaker stated. Isabella and Ripcord who had turned their eyes upon the Moroccan when he had spoken, slowly brought their gaze back to each other.

"Race you there." Isabella challenged before she turned on her heel and dashed for the door.

"Hey!" Ripcord exclaimed before he charged on after the young woman, "Cheater!" he called at her back, "You never said 'go'!" he pointed out as the two of them darted out of the bunker's door. Breaker quickly jumped in pursuit,

"Hey guys!Wait for me!" he exclaimed, laughing while he tried to catch up with the two ahead of him.

A pair of eyes watched intently as the trio scurried down the corridor. Leaning up against a corner on the far side of the room, with his head cocked to the side stood Snake Eyes. Isabella, who had been too busy with all the other Joe members of his team, didn't spot the black ninja watching the scene from the other side of the room. He of course doesn't mind going unseen by people because normally, unless he wants to be seen, he usually isn't. But that's what gives him a huge advantage when it comes to people. It gives him the opportunity to observe carefully and make assessments. And the more he keeps watching this young woman, the more fascinating he finds her. She's tough, sharp and bold, like any good soldier. But she's also playful and spirited.

"Not to mention determined." Snake Eyes added inside his head as he thought back on their few encounters which so far, always seem to result in some physical manner. Without a doubt in his mind, Snake Eyes knew that as long as Isabella remained her at Joe Headquarters, he was going to be in for some interesting times. Pushing himself off the wall, Snake Eyes leisurely left the Bunker, heading off down the long corridor before he slipped away from sight.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16:

The pleasing aroma of food filled Isabella's nose as she drew near the Mess Hall. Ripcord and Breaker were right on her tail, but Isabella still had them by a couple feet. When Isabella finally turned the last corner that would take her into the base's food court, she found herself gliding across the smooth tile of the room. Her feet refused to grip the ground and when she passed a quick glance down at her feet, it suddenly hit her that in her rush to beat the boys, she had forgotten her boots and had run out of the bunker in her socks. Laughing at herself, Isabella steadied herself as she slowed her pace to an easy going walk while she walked further into the room, heading over to the food stands. They had beaten the rush, only a few other Joes stood waiting in line for food but the more seconds that went by, the more soldiers came pouring in. And right after Isabella took her place in the line, Ripcord and Breaker quickly crossed the room and joined her.

"Whew!" Ripcord breathed out while he hunched his upper body over slightly, bracing his hands on his thighs,

"You sure can run, Bella." Breaker stated between gasps for air. Isabella glanced behind her shoulder at the two men and smiled sweetly. Both were in the middle of catching their breaths while Isabella stood all pumped up and not even winded.

"Yeah…" she answered in a cool tone but showed her pride by placing both hands upon her hips while they each moved up in the growing line.

"You could probably give Zen Master a run for his own money." Ripcord stated.

"Ooh I don't know about that…" Breaker replied uncertainly, "….Snake Eyes is fast. Like….fast, fast!" he emphasized.

"Yeah, so is my girl here!" Ripcord answered defensively while he stepped up alongside Isabella and slung an arm around her shoulder.

"Yes but Snake Eyes…" Breaker started to explain but Ripcord held up and hand and brushed the statement off,

"Isabella's got edge. What's _he _got?" Ripcord quickly threw back while he dropped his arm to turn about and face the computer wiz.

"Oh boy…" Isabella stated with a soft roll of her eyes before. An argument was about to take off, and she wasn't sure she wanted in on it; especially if it involved her and Snake Eyes. After taking a few more steps forward in line, Isabella reached the front and picked up an empty tray before she swiftly set off looking for something appetizing while the two men behind her debated. Their voices seemed to follow her movement, even though it really wasn't her interest to listening in on what they had to say.

"He's a ninja!"

"Yeah and Isabella's bad ass. End of discussion!"

"No, no, no."

"Uh, yes, yes, yes!"

Ignoring the ramble that was going on between Ripcord and Breaker, Isabella settled with picking out a nice deli sandwich, a small bag of Fritos, and a glass of cool, Lipton ice tea with lemon. Holding her tray in both hands, Isabella left the food line and sought out an empty table in the back of the room. As she took a seat comfortably on the bench, Isabella picked up her sandwich and began eating. She was able to devour half of her food by the time Ripcord and Breaker came and joined her at the table with their trays of food, still bickering about who'd win at what with her versus Snake Eyes. They took their seats right across from her.

"Snake Eyes can wield a sword." Breaker pointed out.

Ripcord shrugged shoulder like the comment was no big deal, "So? Isabella can use gun!"

"Well so can Snake!"

"But could he pull the trigger before Isabella does? That's the question, my man!"

Isabella raised a hand up and smacked her forehead. "I cannot believe you guys are talking about this. That you're still talking about this." She declared with a shake of her head. The two men shared a quick glance before looking down at their plate of food like two kids being scolded by their mother.

"He started it." Breaker mumbled under his breath. Ripcord's head turned to glare quickly over at the computer wiz right next to him,

"Yeah, and all I'm saying is Isabella could end it against Sn…."

Before Ripcord could finish his sentence, Isabella quickly interrupted, "I'm ending it now." She stated in a firm tone while she casually reached out and took up her glass of ice tea, "Not another word about this from two of you so help me, I'm going to kick both your asses in front of everyone here." She finished while she brought the glass up to her lips and took a sip of its sweet, refreshing liquid.

Both men stared agape at the young woman before them. Then they passed each other a quick glance.

"Told you she was bad ass." Ripcord whispered over to Breaker before the two men grew silent and started to eat the food off their tray.

Isabella shook her head, while she too picked up on eating and finished off the rest of her dinner. When the men also finished, the three of them took their now empty trays and deposited them in their proper place before heading for the exit.

"Eh yo, Isabella?" Ripcord inquired as he and Breaker stood on either side of the young woman as they made their way down the corridor.

"Hmm?" she replied easefully.

"You workout a lot don't you?" he asked curiously. Isabella arched an eyebrow up at the question but continued on staring straight ahead,

"Yeah." She answered, "…I like keeping fit." She added innocently.

"Hey fit's good." Ripcord stated with a nod of his dark head, "A good build can come in handy in many different situations." He added before he began listing things off, "Like….when bikini season comes around, I bet that's helpful."

A laugh burst out Isabella's mouth before she could help it. Then with a shrug, Isabella nodded, "Yeah it is."

"Or perhaps…" Ripcord cleared his throat before raising a hand up to scratch the back of his head. Then the next words that came out of his mouth were mumbled, "…if you ever found yourself randomly fighting a ninja…" he suggested.

As his words processed, Isabella's eyes closed before she let out a quiet groan of frustration, "Oh Ripcord…" she started while she opened her eyes and turned to stare over at the black man beside her, "I thought I had told you to drop this." She reminded, her turquoise eyes flashing a silent warning while a frown started pulling down at her lips. "I don't wanna hear another word about me and Snake Eyes fighting, struggling, or even holding each other at gun or any other weapon point. Got it?"

Ripcord raised both hands up in a surrendering gesture, "Crystal clear. You won't hear any of **that** leave my mouth." He promised while he passed a quick glance over to Breaker on Isabella's other side. Isabella watched the two men with suspicion as they quickened their pace, bypassing Isabella's leisurely stroll to walk ahead of her. Once they were side by side, Ripcord turned his head towards Breaker and lowered his voice.

"Quick, who'd win in an arm wrestling match? Isabella or Snake Eyes?" Ripcord asked. Though they had made the efforts on trying to make sure the question didn't make it back to Isabella, her keen hearing was able to pick up on every word and it left her fuming.

"Snake Eyes, not even close." Breaker replied in the same hushed tone. "But she might be able to beat him at thumb wrestling."

"Alright, that's it!" Isabella exclaimed irritably, stopping in her tracks. Both men froze and glanced over their shoulder to see Isabella seething. Turning back to face front, Ripcord shouted,

"Run man!"

Without needing to be told twice, the two men took off down the hall. Isabella watched them sprint away, staying where she was to purposely let them put some distance between them and her for sport. "Wait till I get my hands on you two!" she called after them before she took off at full speed. It only took a few moments before she was hot on their retreating tail and she was quickly closing in.

* * *

(Inside the bunker….)

Everyone, after cleaning up from their day of training, had all gathered in the living room. Scarlet and Heavy Duty were sitting comfortably on the sofa while Duke had just come out of his room. Snake Eyes was still nowhere to be seen.

"Hey guys?" Duke asked as he approached the two Joes lounging on the couch, "Have you guys seen Ripcord?" he asked curiously.

Before either Joe could reply, the three of them heard the distinctive cry 'Don't let her catch you!' and all heads turned to the open doorway. Ripcord followed by Breaker flew right inside, and sought protection over by the other members in room. Isabella came into view just seconds later and when she spotted Ripcord and Breaker hiding in the presence of Scarlet, Heavy Duty and Duke, she skidded to a stop before crossing her arms over her chest. Scarlet and Heavy Duty went back and forth from the breathless Ripcord and Breaker to the flushed Isabella before they turned their attention onto the two men,

"Do we even want to know?" Scarlet asked. Ripcord cleared his throat,

"That's classified information." He stated. "Need to know, and you guys don't need."

Breaker nodded his head before he walked over and took a seat right beside the redhead. Ripcord then walked over to where Duke stood to use his friend as a barrier. Isabella's eyes narrowed in response before she crossed the room and headed for the hallway that would take her to her room. As she passed by Ripcord she sent him a hard glare and shook her head,

"You got lucky." She grumbled before she disappeared down the hallway and headed for her room.

Once inside, she closed the door and instantly went for her bed. With a frustrated sigh, she collapsed down on the mattress face first and buried her head in the white pillow. "Why him?" she mumbled into the soft padding, "Out of all the people here, why must my name get tied into _his_?"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17:

It took a while, but eventually sleep settled over Isabella. The problem with that though was the fact that she went to bed much earlier then use to and the effect of that was finding herself wide awake before 5 AM. After staring blankly up at the ceiling for a good fifteen minuets, Isabella sat up and got out of bed. With one hand, she undid her hair from the braid and lightly raked her fingers through the wavy silk before she gathered her hair together and pulled it up in a high pony tail. Then quietly, Isabella left her room, stepping out into the hallway while closing the door behind her.

Sighing, she moved slowly out into the deserted main room. But then, not knowing what else to do the young woman decided to go exploring about the bunker. As she crossed the main room and headed over to an open doorway on the far side that would lead into another room, a restless ache began in Isabella's legs and there was nothing more that she wanted to do right there then go for a nice, long run. Cautiously stepping into the fairly dark, extra room, Isabella placed a hand on the wall and sought out the light switch and flicked it on. When light flooded the room, her turquoise eyes scanned the area; then a smile pulled at her lips. The room wasn't a room at all but a mini gym complete with treadmills, weights and other workout equipment.

Without a second thought, Isabella found her feet carrying her over to one of the few treadmills that they had set up on the right side of the room before she was stepping up onto the machine and was already starting it up. As it began moving, Isabella set the pace at an easy jog for a warm up and she kept it that way for ten minuets. Then once her blood was pumping, Isabella reached her hands down to her blue cami and tugged it up over her head so that she was left in a sports bra and her gray pants before she draped it over the top of the machine and quickened the pace to a decent run. She was normally use to running with music blasting in her ears, but as of right now she was just happy that she was able to run period. The sense it brought to her deeply reminded Isabella of home since running was all she ever did on her free time back then.

It was exhilarating for Isabella to be running like this again. The familiar feeling of adrenaline rushing through her veins was ongoing, and Isabella feeling empowered, lost track of time. When the distinctive, growing sound of boots treading across the ground reached Isabella's ear, she turned her head just in time to see Heavy Duty walking into the room. The large, muscular black man looked surprised when his eyes landed on Isabella.

"Bloody hell," he stated, "….you're up early."

Isabella shrugged a shoulder but kept on running, "Is it really all that shocking?" she returned coolly.

"After yesterday's performance? Yeah." He answered while he strolled into the room and walked over to a bench-pressing station. While he took off his T-shirt he glanced over at Isabella, "I figured we'd have to get a bit forceful to get you out of bed on time."

Isabella's mouth turned up at one corner, "Do you guys honestly find me that difficult?" she asked.

As Heavy Duty laid himself down flat on the bench, his hands already reaching for the bar above his head, the man chuckled quickly, "Insubordinate would be the more fitting word for you, sweetheart." He answered. As he began lifting the bar off the rack, without looking over at Isabella, he called out, "How long have you been in here?"

At the question, Isabella glanced down on the screen that was keeping track of her time, speed and distance. "Uhh…..hmm…..about 30 minuets." She answered.

Heavy Duty opened his mouth to say something but both his and Isabella's attention was drawn back towards the door as Scarlet walked on in.

"Ah. I see I wasn't the only one who wanted to get some morning exercise today." The redhead stated as she gracefully strolled across the room, stopping at the other treadmill on Isabella's left side. The two women shared a silent greeting that consisted of a slight nod of acknowledgement before Scarlet stepped up on the machine next to Isabella and turned it on. Right as Scarlet started running, the voices of Duke and Ripcord could be heard from the main room. In less than a minuet, the two friends joined Isabella, Heavy Duty and Scarlet inside the room. Heavy Duty, now finished with his reps on the bench, watched the chattering men for a couple seconds before he placed the bar back up on its rack above his head before he got up and moved on to his next workout; like Heavy Duty, Ripcord and Duke quickly shed their shirts before they started their own workout.

Licking her lips, Isabella took in a deep breath through her nose while she glanced back down on the screen before her; the monitor now read 38 minuets. She waited till she hit a solid 40 before she shut the machine down to a walking pace. Then once she had cooled down enough, Isabella hit the power button, collected her cami and hopped off. Spying a towel rack in the back of the room, Isabella casually walked over and picked one up before she raised the soft material up to wipe her forehead and her neck. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Isabella's attention and her head turned slightly to see the black clad ninja walking into the room.

"Hey Snake." Scarlet greeted from the treadmill. He nodded at in response.

"And now the only one we are missing is Breaker…" Isabella mumbled to herself with a soft shake of her head. Breaker came in just moments after those words left her mouth.

Snake Eyes didn't seem to be interested in using any of the equipment that was in the room, instead he headed on over to a clear section on the left side. And for a quick moment, Isabella found herself actually watching the black ninja as he moved across the floor; but she was brought back to her senses when his dark head turned so that he was looking in her direction. Isabella quickly averted her gaze and turned her body away so that her back faced him before she mentally kicked herself for eyeing the ninja in the first place.

"What the hell was that, Bella?" she asked, reproaching herself quietly.

"What was what?" Ripcord asked from behind. Isabella almost jumped at the sound of his voice and slowly turned about to face the man.

"Ripcord…" Isabella breathed out to show her surprise. He grinned in response,

"Morning sunshine. Good to see you up and about." He stated.

"Yeah, likewise." Isabella replied while she brought the towel down from the top of her neck to her side.

The action caused Ripcord to do a very common thing for a guy; his brown eyes swiftly swept down the full length of Isabella's body. A look of surprise then displayed across his handsome face,

"Whoa!" he stated; his eyes locked on Isabella's bare stomach. Isabella followed his gaze in slight confusion before she looked back up into Ripcord's face,

"What?" she replied while she started moving about the room once more, heading over to where Duke was lying out on a bench.

"Are those real?" he asked in disbelief as he followed behind. Isabella paused in her step for a brief moment, her head inclining itself to the side at Ripcord's question before she glanced down on what she presumed he was referring to; her breasts.

"Are you really asking me that?" she returned as she continued on walking over to Duke. When she reached Duke's side, Isabella turned about to face Ripcord who seemed to be still eyeing her torso as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Yeah, girl I am. I mean…I didn't realize you had such detailed abs." He answered. Isabella arched an eyebrow before she looked down on herself again and understood what had caught Ripcord's attention.

"Oh….my abs…" Isabella laughed softly, "…right, **those**." She finished as she reached a hand up and lightly placed it on her stomach. Now it wasn't like Isabella had a distinguished 6-pack like the men in the room, but you could definitely see a few small protruding Ab muscles on the flat plane of her stomach.

"Yeah I mean, I knew that you were you know, fit and toned but wow…I never would've guessed." He stated.

Isabella shrugged a shoulder in response, "It's no big deal." She stated as she dropped her hand. Before Isabella could blink, Ripcord reached a finger out and lightly jabbed her in the stomach. A tiny laugh escaped her lips in response before she brought both hands up to cover her exposed stomach.

"Aww…." Ripcord knowingly stated, a grin flashing across his face, "…little Bella here is ticklish."

Isabella glanced around the room quickly, before she turned and glared back at him before raising a finger up to her lips, "Ssshh."

"Oh! She confirmed it!" Ripcord declared a bit more loudly.

"Ripcord!" Isabella threw back, her tone carrying a silent warning for the man who in turn raised both hands up,

"It's alright, Isabella, your secret it safe with me." He stated.

"Rip?" Duke suddenly spoke up. Ripcord instantly moved behind his friend's head to help him lift the weighted bar off the rack. Once Duke was able to take it on his own, Ripcord pulled back slightly before he reached his hands up to surround his mouth,

"Isabella's ticklish!" he announced. His voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to have heard his words perfectly. Isabella's eyes had closed in response.

"Thanks for the proclamation, Ripcord." She mumbled as her eyes opened themselves up before she turned her head to glare over at Ripcord. When Isabella felt eyes staring at her from all angels now, heat came to her cheeks but she dared not turn about to see who was watching.

"Ohhh and now she's blushing!" Ripcord added loudly with an even wider grin.

"Ha! Keep pushing it, Ripcord." Isabella threw back in her deadliest tone.

From his little punching bag a couple feet away, Heavy Duty laughed,  
"I'm surprised that you're not already trying to throttle him, Isabella." He stated in amusement.

"Oh trust me, that'll come later." Isabella replied, "….when there's no witnesses." She added.

Soft laughs went around the room at that statement before everyone went back to what they were doing.

"Eh yo, Duke." Ripcord addressed his working friend on the bench, as he now directed his attention onto someone else in the room. Isabella followed his gaze and when her eyes landed on the object that held Ripcord in a daze, she rolled her eyes and smiled,

"Wow…" she murmured quietly while shaking her head.

"Breaker's been telling me how Scarlet graduated college at the age of 12. She's like some freaky, little, dangerous genius." Ripcord stated as he eyed the redhead still running on the treadmill. Unbeknownst to Ripcord, he began leaning down on the bar that Duke was still trying to lift,

"Rip…" Duke began, "…Rip!" he called snapping his friend back to his senses. Ripcord quickly leaned back and mumbled a swift apology, his eyes still locked on Scarlet's form. "I get it, Rip. You like her." Duke added. Ripcord sighed in response.

"To hell with it." Ripcord declared before he moved around the bench and headed on over to the other treadmill beside Scarlet.

"Rip!" Duke tried calling at his friend's retreating back as he was now struggling with the bar he was lifting. Isabella quickly stepped up as his spotter and helped him put the bar back on its rack. When he sat up, he glanced over at Isabella and smiled gratefully before he rose off the bench,

"Thanks." He breathed out. Isabella smiled and lightly clapped him on the shoulder,

"Don't mention it." She replied. When Isabella glanced over at Scarlet, she instantly took notice of how the redhead seemed to have already figured out what was coming for she then took up a book and started to 'read' as Ripcord hopped up on the machine beside her. Duke then found himself a jump rope and began at that, taking a place just a few feet away from the treadmills, not doubt to listen in on Ripcord. Isabella decided to go have a seat by Breaker, who was also planning on seeing how things turned out.

"Hey." Ripcord greeted with a charming smile as he started running on the machine. Scarlet glanced out of the corners of her eyes at Ripcord but remained silent. Ripcord took that sign to try a different approach so he nodded at her book, "Doing a little beach reading?" Again Scarlet stayed silent. Feeling bold, Ripcord licked his lips,

"Ok I'll just make this easier for the both of us; I'm attracted you." He stated, "… and you, you're attracted to me. And Zen Master over there?" he said nodding his head in the direction of where Snake Eyes was; the ninja was balancing his entire body on his katanas, his feet sticking straight up in the air. "He creeps me out. So what I'm trying to say here is…"

"That we're attracted to each other." Scarlet finished for him. Ripcord slammed his hand down on the treadmill's monitor triumphantly in response, shutting the machine off.

"Thank you!" he declared.

"That's what you're saying." Scarlet added, "…that's not what I'm saying."

Ripcord was thrown off by that statement, "…its...its not?" he returned. Both Isabella, Breaker and Duke, who had been listening in, did their best to try and contain their laughter. "Well then what are you saying?" he asked.

Scarlet sighed before pausing the moving treadmill and closed her book. Then the redhead turned her body to face Ripcord, "Attraction is an emotion. Emotions are not based in science; and if you can't quantify or prove something exists…well in my mind, it just doesn't." she answered before turning away and starting the treadmill back up again.

Ripcord looked even more lost then before and since he didn't know how to exactly respond to such words, all he could do was slightly nod his head, "Ok…ok...I'll get back to you on that." He stated before he hopped off the machine and walked over to where Duke stood jumping in place. Suddenly, Heavy Duty's voice sounded off.

"General on deck!" he announced. Everyone froze at what they were doing before jumping to their feet to stand at attention, all their eyes looking towards the door as they watched General Hawk stroll in.

"At ease." He stated before his eyes landed on Duke and Ripcord standing side by side. He had completely ignored Isabella as he approached the two men to address them. "Duke, you scored in the top half of all people we have ever tested." He informed before he turned to Ripcord, "Ripcord, if we average your score to Duke's, you'd pass too." he added with a smile causing both men to smile and laugh quietly in return. General Hawk then extended his hand out for them to shake.

"Congratulations. Welcome to the team…" he stated, "…provisionally of course." He added.

"Thank you sir." Duke and Ripcord replied.

Nodding at them and the rest of Joes in the room, General Hawk smiled briefly once more, "As you were." He finished before he turned on his heel and began to walk away, not even bothering to glance once at Isabella who stood in the front of the room beside Breaker. And Isabella could tell by the expressions on Breaker and Ripcord's face and the tension that was hanging in the air that everyone was still waiting to here what's happening with her results.

"What abo…" Breaker started but Isabella quickly placed a hand upon his shoulder, silencing him.

"It's alright Breaker." She whispered, "….obviously I'm not Joe material."

Though on the outside, Isabella looked as composed and professional as any soldier, on the inside, she was doing a happy dance, "I'm going home!" she sang inside her head.

Right as General Hawk reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, "Oh…" he spoke out before he turned about to face everyone once more, "Lieutenant Wright?" he addressed, his serious blue eyes landing on Isabella for the first time since he had walked into the room.

Isabella straightened up at the formal address, "Sir?" she returned calmly, waiting desperately for the words 'Pack your things, you're getting out'.

"Welcome aboard." He declared, his serious expression melting away to a sincere smile.

"….what?" Isabella quietly exclaimed. Before she could utter another word, General Hawk nodded and fled the room, leaving Isabella to stare blankly after him.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18:

"_Welcome aboard."_

General Hawk had said, his words still ringing loudly in Isabella's ears, even after he was long gone from the room.

From behind, Isabella could hear a few voices congratulating her while a couple hands patted her back in return but none of it was really capable of being processed at the moment. All of Isabella's senses had gone numb at the news.

"No…" the young woman thought in disbelief before she was finally able to open her mouth and get the words out verbally, "No, no, no!" she stated and shook her head before she quickly sought out her cami and began throwing it over her head.

"Yo, Isabella…" Came Ripcord's voice. While Isabella hastily pulled her shirt down to its proper place, she turned about to see Ripcord and everyone else in the room watching her. "You okay?" he asked curiously.

Her eyes went about the room, taking in all the faces; they even flickered momentarily over to Snake Eyes who was standing tall as usual with his head inclined to the side. "Can't talk right now." She replied in a hurry before she turned on her heel and dashed for the doorway.

"Bella!" she heard her name get called after her, but she had already flown out of the room before another word could have been spoken. Ripcord turned toward Duke in surprise, "Where's she going?" he asked. Duke shrugged a shoulder and shook his head.

"Do you think we should go after her?" Breaker asked as he set his computer equipment down and stood up from his seat. Ripcord thought about it for a second before he went back over to the bench and collected his and Duke's T-shirts.

"Probably." Ripcord answered while he tossed Duke his shirt and swiftly pulled his own over his head.

"I bet you she's gone after General Hawk." Breaker stated knowingly as the three men headed out of the workout room. Duke and Ripcord shared a quick look with each other before nodding,

"Right." Ripcord breathed out before he and he other two men walked out of the bunker.

* * *

Heart racing along with her fast moving legs as they carried her through the pit, Isabella followed her own way down to General Hawk's office. As she neared the door, she skidded to a stop, her hand already raising itself up to rap on the closed door.

"Sir?" she called as her fist firmly knocked. From inside she heard the General reply, "It's open."

With a quick sigh, Isabella lowered her hand down to the door's handle and gave it a turn before she pushed the door open and stepped in. "Sir…" Isabella started to speak as her eyes landed on General Hawk sitting behind his desk with a tiny smirk on his face.

"Come on in, Lieutenant." General Hawk stated, "…take a seat." He offered. Isabella sighed but stepped into the room and closed the door.

"Thank you sir, but I prefer to stand." She answered as she walked over to stand in front of the General's desk. When Isabella carefully studied General Hawk's smirking face, something inside Isabella clicked.

"You were expecting me." She stated knowingly, her brows furrowing softly in puzzlement. General Hawk's smirk widened into a smile. "You wanted me to follow you." She added with a nod of understanding.

"I was counting on it." General Hawk replied calmly as he leaned forward in his desk and placed both hands on top, "Now let's get down to business."

Isabella straightened up, "Alright." she agreed while her arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest, "I'm sure then you already know why I've come here in the first place, correct?" she asked

"Of course. You want to argue with me about your test results." General Hawk answered coolly.

"I believe there's been a mistake." Isabella stated firmly. General Hawk chuckled before he sat back in his seat. Using one hand, he opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a file.

"I'll have to disagree with you on that, Lieutenant." He answered while he flipped the folder open to browse through its contents, "Though you are much younger than most people we test here, your results perfectly meet all of our expectations of a GI Joe soldier."

"But…" Isabella started but General Hawk quickly interjected.

"Now I know you probably have a lot to say about this, but it's already been made official. Your commanding officers have already signed you over to me."

Isabella's mouth dropped open at the news, "….they can do that?" she asked in disbelief. General Hawk smiled softly and nodded.

"Absolutely. I have the paperwork if you'd like to see it." He offered.

Isabella shook her head while raising a hand up to cover her eyes, "Not necessary, sir." She mumbled, letting out a huffed sigh as she dropped her hand back down to her side, "So what happens now if I am indeed under your command?" she asked, her eyes staring intently into General Hawks face.

He smiled again before he reached into the folder and pulled out a piece of paper, "First I need you to sign this." He answered while he slid the paper across the desk.

Isabella took a small step towards it, "What's this? A contract?" she questioned as she read over the words printed on it.

"You can think of it as such." General Hawk replied while he extended out a pen for Isabella to take, "Its purpose is to just…seal the deal. Showing that you understand your duty as a Joe and that you swear to follow through with all orders like any other soldier. It's pretty much the same thing you had to agree to when you joined the Marine Corps; the only main difference is that you'll be signing under my name." He explained.

Sighing in defeat, Isabella reached out and took up the pen, "Right." She murmured quietly as she leaned over the desk slightly, bringing the tip of the pen down on the blank line that required her signature. With quick, smooth penmanship, Isabella neatly signed her first, middle and last name on the paper. As she set the pen down and stepped away from the desk, General Hawk reached out and collected the contract before slipping it safely back into its folder.

"Very good, Strider." General Hawk stated approvingly.

Isabella's turquoise eyes widened in surprise, "How…how did you know my nickname?"

"Its like I said before, I know a lot about you." He answered with a warm smile. "You won't mind being called that, here at the pit, will you?"

Isabella shook her head, licking her lips quietly, "No sir. The name's fine." She answered.

"Excellent. Oh! I almost forgot." General lightly exclaimed before he reached a hand down, leaning to the side in his chair. "Someone had this dropped off for you." He stated as he lifted off the ground a duffle bag alongside his chair before he set it on top of the desk.

It took Isabella a few seconds to look the bag over before gasping in shock, "That's my bag from home." She stated in astonishment. General Hawk nodded his head,

"Yes, your father had it sent over immediately after I had told him of your acceptance here at GI Joe headquarters."

"And when did you do that?" Isabella asked curiously.

A sly smile pulled at General Hawk's lips, "That's not important." He answered.

Isabella blinked in response, clearly taken back by the man's words, "Uhh…" she murmured not knowing what to say.

General Hawk chuckled, "Think nothing of it." He stated, "Now I believe our business here is complete. So you're free to go." He dismissed.

Isabella opened her mouth to say something else but words came forth. Instead, the young woman nodded her head slightly before collecting her duffle bag off the desk. When it securely hung off a shoulder, Isabella turned away from General Hawk's desk, crossed the room to open his office door and walked on out. As it closed behind her and she slowly began her walk down the corridor, Isabella closed her eyes and shook her head,

"Is there's no end to this?" she groaned out loud to herself as she found herself trudging off in the direction that would take her back down to the bunker. As she rounded a corner, Isabella had only a few seconds to think before colliding head on with Ripcord. Isabella's smaller form ran right into Ripcord's chest causing her to stumble back a few steps before his hands were on her upper arms, steadying her.

"Oh man, you okay girl?" Ripcord asked. Isabella nodded,

"Yeah it's all good." She answered, looking up into his face before noticing Duke and Breaker right behind him. Her brows furrowed in confusion, "Wait, what are you guys doing here in the first place?"

"Oh…."Ripcord murmured as he released Isabella and took a respectful step back, "We thought that we should check up on you…with you rushing off, we wanted to make sure everything was cool." He explained.

"Oh…" Isabella murmured.

"So is it?" Ripcord inquired.

Isabella forced a tiny smile on her face, "Yeah, everything's fine." She answered.

"So what was the rush about anyway?" Duke asked curiously.

Isabella shrugged a shoulder, "I just wanted to make sure that my stuff had arrived." She lied while she nodded her head down on the duffle bag hanging on her side, "…and it did. So I had to run down to General Hawk to pick it up." Isabella was surpirsed at how easily the lie came to her.

"Stuff?" Breaker repeated before his eyes lit up, "Oh so you're staying?" he stated excitedly, "…like permanently?" he added.

Isabella did everything she could to prevent herself from cringing at the word 'permanently' but she managed to force another smile on her face, "Yeah looks like I'll be hanging around for some time." She answered while she slowly began moving around the trio of men, "I'm heading back to the bunker to drop my things off now." She stated.

"Oh ok cool!" Ripcord replied with a grin, "Well since everything's fine with you, me and the boys are gonna head down and get some breakfast. Shall we save you a spot at the table?" he asked.

"Uh…no thank you, Rip." Isabella answered, "I'll just catch you guys later." She answered.

All three men nodded their heads, "Well ok." Ripcord answered with a quick shrug before he, Duke and Breaker continued their way down the corridor while Isabella went the opposite direction.

When she finally made it back to bunker, it seemed like everyone had gone for breakfast for the entire bunker was completely silent. Sighing, Isabella carried her duffel bag all the way to her bedroom before dropping it on the bed. Then with nothing else better to do, Isabella unzipped the bag and began pulling her belongings out so that she could put them away in the small dresser that she had here. Once all her clothes had been neatly put away, Isabella checked the rest of her bag for anything else her parents had packed for her; she found her Ipod along with its charger in one side pocket. And as she opened the pocket on the other side, she found a dainty box tied with a red ribbon. Raising an eyebrow, Isabella reached a hand inside and pulled the box out; the box itself was kind of narrow but no longer than her hand. Undoing the ribbon carefully, Isabella lifted the lid of the box open; a tiny slip of paper hid its contents. Placing the box in her lap, she lifted the little card, gasping at what it had hidden. A silver chain bracelet rested inside and hanging off it was a miniature pink crystal rose charm. Smiling, Isabella removed the piece of jewelry from the box before slowly draping it about her left wrist and doing its clasp.

After taking a few seconds to admire it, Isabella's eyes instantly pulled themselves away from the beautifully gift to look over the card in her hand. As she flipped it over, she found words written on its other side; Isabella recognized the handwriting immediately. It was from her father.

"Bella,  
Words cannot begin to describe how proud I am of you.  
You were always a very gifted young woman, who could  
set out and accomplish anything you set your mind to.  
Congratulations on your acceptance into the ranks of the Joes.  
I already knew you could do it. We both did.

Love, Dad

Licking her lips, Isabella quickly reread the note, feeling some very heavy emotions coming on. Her eyes found themselves stopping at the last line.

"I already knew you could do it. We both did."

**We** being the key word. Like she had been stuck by lightning, suddenly everything started making sense. The forced training, the fact that her things, including military transcripts and applications, had already been sent over from home in such a short time, there was only one answer to it all; everything had been staged.

"They had planned this all out." Isabella whispered out loud as tears of frustration instantly burned behind her eyes; 'they' being her father and Hawk. It must've all started when her father had received her recruitment letter from Hawk a couple years back. Of course that time, she had just turned 20, so they probably decided to wait a few years before actually shipping her out. And then by chance, when Isabella had been picked up by Hawk's team, that was when she had been condemned to all of this. It had already been decided, even before the training, that Isabella was going to be a Joe.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19:

Leaning over, Isabella snatched up one of the pillows on her bed before burying her face right into it. Drawing in a deep breath, Isabella released her frustration in a long, muffled scream. Once she had run out of air to continue, Isabella pulled the pillow away from her face, panting hard, before she chucked it across the room. Jumping up from her seat on the bed, Isabella stormed out of her room. As she passed into the main room, she walked over to the empty couch, swiftly stepped into her boots and tied them tightly on her feet before she marched right on out of the bunker.

"Damnit all!" she muttered through gritted teeth. The need to hit something hard quickly shadowed her anger and Isabella found herself searching out a training room. Entering the room that Snake Eyes had brought her to the day before, crossed the floor and located a punching bag that was set up on the other side of the room, opposite of where the rack of weapons lied. Taking up a basic stance, Isabella raised both hands, now fists, up from her side. Then with a powerfully swing, she threw a hard right punch at the bag. When her right fist collided with it, her left fist followed till she was beating the darn thing up with every ounce of strength she had. And time seemed to breeze on by.

Before long, as Isabella was wiping sweat from her brow, she turned her head to glance at a clock and saw that was almost noon. She had been at this for a couple hours at least; the throbbing in Isabella's hands confirmed that. With her anger now spent, Isabella stepped away from the punching bag and slowly collapsed to the ground, taking a seat on her knees with her legs tucked comfortably underneath her. Bringing her hands into her lap, Isabella looked down on them with a soft frown. Her knuckles on both sides were slightly swollen and red and Isabella could see purple, bluish bruising starting underneath the skin.

"I'll be feeling that tomorrow." She stated quietly as she carefully flexed her hands; she cringed softly at the movement as it brought back a painful stinging to the tops of her knuckles. "Oh yeah…I'll definitely be feeling it."

With a sigh, Isabella fell onto her back and stretched her legs up in front of her before she had her feet brace her knees off the ground. Carefully tucking one arm under her head for support, Isabella draped the other over her stomach while closing her eyes. Then with her eyes resting, Isabella sought an escape within her mind.

* * *

"Hey has anyone seen, Bella?" Breaker asked as he typed words into his laptop from his seat on the couch. Ripcord and Duke, who were sitting at a round table playing a game of cards with Heavy Duty and Scarlet, shared a quick glance before they turned their eyes upon Breaker.

"No." they replied in unison.

"Yeah, where is our newest recruit, hmm?" Scarlet asked calmly as she skillfully shuffled a deck of cards before she passed the deck over to Heavy Duty who started dealing right of the bat.

"Well last we saw her, we were heading to breakfast." Ripcord stated as he collected his growing pile of cards in front of him.

"Yeah." Duke confirmed, "What, she not in her room?" he asked.

Breaker shook his head, "Nope." He answered. Movement out of the corner of his eye, caught Breaker's attention and he turned his head to see another figure joining the rest of them in the room. "Oh hey, Snake." He greeted.

The black clad ninja, who had just come from his room, nodded at him in acknowledgment.

"Hey Snake, have you seen, Bella?" Breaker asked.

Beneath his mask, Snake Eyes raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Breaker sighed in defeat.

"Maybe we should go look for her." He suggested while he closed his laptop and moved it off his lap.

"Breaker," Scarlet answered, "I think you're overreacting." She stated with a quick laugh and shake of her head.

"But guys…." Breaker started, "….after all she's just a newbie." He reminded.

Heavy Duty, not glancing up from his hand of cards, chuckled, "Breaker, the worst scenario in all of this is that Isabella got lost somewhere."

"That's horrible!" he exclaimed while he rose to a standing position, "I mean this place is huge, which means she could be anywhere."

Shaking his head, Heavy Duty glanced over at his Moroccan friend, "Even if that is the case, she's not a lost puppy. She's actually one, tough, feisty soldier. I'm sure Isabella will find her way back."

Frowning softly, Breaker turned to look over at Snake Eyes who stood a couple feet away watching the card game going on. Sensing eyes upon him, Snake Eye's dark head turned towards Breaker.

"Snake, will you help me find her?" he asked pleadingly. "I really don't like the idea of her being lost somewhere in the pit."

The black ninja slowly nodded his head, accepting the task. Breaker clapped his hands together once in triumph.

"Great!" he stated before he took off across the room heading for the bunker's exit. Snake Eyes fell into step alongside him. "I'm heading over to security to tap into the cameras and see if I can locate her from there. Snake…" Breaker addressed, turning his head to look over into the ninja's masked face before he raised a hand up and clapped him on the back, "…do what you do." He finished.

Snake Eyes nodded once more before he made an 'ok' sign with his hand. At the first intersection in the corridor they came across, the two men split up, going in different directions.

Though it was a smart idea for Breaker to go check the security cameras, Snake Eyes didn't think it was really necessary. If there was one thing Snake Eyes was certain about, it was the fact that Isabella wasn't the 'getting-lost' type.

"She knows exactly where she is." He stated in his head. "Besides, there's only a handful of places here in the pit that's she'd be familiar with anyway." He added.

In less than five minuets, Snake Eyes was walking into the training arena. His eyes carefully searched the groups of soldiers around for any sign of the young woman. And when he couldn't find a trace of her, another idea came to him.

"Perhaps she just wanted to be alone in the first place." he thought before his dark head turned in the direction of one of the spare rooms. As Snake Eyes stopped in the open doorway to look within the room, he found his head tilting to the side as his eyes landed on a figure lying down on the floor. Centering his weight perfectly, Snake Eyes slowly crossed the room without making a single sound; even his footsteps were undetectable. When he reached the young woman, Snake Eyes crouched down to the ground right beside her in wonder.

"Well this is a new sight." He stated as his eyes traced over Isabella's features. It wasn't everyday one finds someone like this in a training room.

Her breathing was deep and even and her facial expression was peaceful. With a soft shake of his head, Snake Eyes found himself smiling gently beneath his mask.

"You truly are something else, Isabella." He sincerely thought.

* * *

A shadow slowly loomed behind Isabella's closed eyelids while her mouth slightly turned down in a frown.

"What the….?" She thought to herself before her eyes fluttered open. Almost instantly they landed on an all too familiar figure dressed in black, hovering just a few feet from her. Isabella's heart slammed into her chest in astonishment before she herself uttered a quick scream of surprise. Her hands swiftly clasped themselves over her mouth in response before sitting up off the ground. Not wanting to look Snake Eyes in the face just yet, Isabella turned her body away slightly so she could collect herself. After taking a couple moments to calm down, Isabella lowered her hands from her mouth back down to her side before she turned about to face the black clad ninja who still sat on his heels watching her every move. Her turquoise eyes narrowed into an accusing glare,

"Damnit Snake Eyes, must you keep sneaking up on me like that?" she asked irritably.

Snake Eyes, in response, reached a gloved hand out and placed it lightly upon Isabella's shoulder before he gave it a soft squeeze. Interpreting it as an apology, Isabella nodded her head in acceptance while a sigh slid past her lips,

"So what brings you here on this fine day?" she questioned sarcastically as she reached her arms back behind her to support her upper body, her head inclining to the side slightly as she stared the black ninja down.

Behind his mask, both of Snake Eyes' eyebrows rose up. Then keeping his balance exclusively on the soles of his feet, he crossed his muscled arms over his chest.

Reading his body language, Isabella frowned. Though he made no hand sign or anything like it, there was without a doubt in her mind that he was silently throwing the question right back at her with 'What are **you** doing here?'

Isabella was quiet for a few seconds before she opened her mouth to reply. "Training." She answered firmly while she brought her arms in and placed most of her weight on them so she could shift her position so that she was sitting on her legs once more.

Snake Eyes arched an unseen eyebrow, his eyes searching Isabella's for the truth. Isabella stared into his hidden face silently before she averted her gaze and started moving again, this time bringing herself to stand up.

Snake Eyes followed her movement, straightening up from his own position to his towering height of 6ft'2. Then without another glance, Isabella slowly made a move around him but had barely stepped a couple feet before she felt his hand close around her wrist from behind. Isabella froze at the contact before she turned about to stare at the black clad ninja who seemed to be staring down at her hand that he now held.

Moving his grip on her wrist to hold her hand, Snake Eyes raised it upwards before he used his thumb to brush over the purple, bluish stains that lightly covered the tops of her knuckles. Though his touch was surprisingly gentle, Isabella gasped quietly and winced before she pulled back on her hand. But Snake Eyes refused to let go and instead raised his head up to stare into Isabella's face.

Knowing instantly where this was going, Isabella swallowed before staring hard into Snake Eyes' black visor, "I told you…" she began, "….I was training." She explained. Snake Eyes' head bent to the side at her statement before he sighed. Then before Isabella could blink, with her hand still in his, Snake Eyes led her over to the white board before he used his free hand to pick up a marker. As Snake Eyes uncapped it and raised its tip up to start writing, Isabella tried pulling her hand back once more. But like before, the black ninja wouldn't give it up, in fact this time, his hold tightened to a firmer grip while his other hand began writing words down on the board starting from the top.

"_You wanna try that again?"_ he wrote looking back down on her, clearly not believing her lie.

Isabella frowned, "I don't need to explain myself to you." She pointed out. Snake Eyes turned away to continue writing.

"_You're gonna have to if you want me to let go."_ He answered.

Isabella's eyes narrowed, "I. was. training." She replied, dragging the statement out for emphasis, "What more do you want?"

Keeping his back towards her, Snake Eyes shook his head while he started writing again, _"You expect me to believe those bruises were from training?" _

Isabella sighed in annoyance, "That's kinda what I just told you, wasn't it?" she returned.

Snake Eyes' writing hand paused for a second before it began moving again, _"And what did this training of yours consist of? Hitting a wall?"_

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous." She replied, "I used the punching bag." She answered defensively. Snake Eyes then angled his body away from the board to face Isabella while he continued writing.

"_You do realize that there are certain gloves you put on for that sort of work?"_

"Stop talking to me like I'm so ignorant child!" she exclaimed angrily, "Of course I'm aware of gloves but personally I never use them, ever! I mean why should I?" she threw back.

"_To prevent that…"_ he replied while nodding down to Isabella's bruised hand.

"Well I find it pointless to train like that cause let's face it, when it comes to an actual fight, I can tell you now your not going to be wearing gloves on your hands." Isabella returned smartly. "So might as well get use to going bare skin."

Snake Eyes sighed and shook his head again while a tiny frown pulled down on his lips, _"Even if that is the case, beating your hands senseless is not an ideal form of training." _

Isabella shrugged, "Works for me." She answered.

Snake Eyes was still as Isabella's works sank in, then right before he capped the marker, he quickly wrote down the words, _"I don't believe you." _

Reading Snake Eyes' last message, Isabella frowned before stepping up and removing the marker from his hand before she quickly undid its closed cap. Then bringing its tip right below Snake Eyes' words, Isabella neatly printed her own message.

"_I'm not asking you to." _She replied before capping the marker and setting it back down on its metal tray. Then she turned her body to face the black clad ninja, a silent challenge burning brightly behind her eyes. Gently shifting her hand within Snake Eyes, Isabella distinguished the fact that his grip had loosened. Then with a quick, powerful twist of her entire arm, Isabella broke the ninja's grasp on her hand before taking a step back; a tiny, proud smile then pulled at her lips seeing how she had caught Snake Eyes off guard.

"Always expect the unexpected, Snake Eyes…." She informed, "…I would've thought that with you being a ninja, you'd know all about _that_."

Snake Eyes straightened up even more, if that was possible, at Isabella's words. And though it could not be seen by her, behind his visor, the black ninja's eyes stared intently into Isabella's face, memorizing her every detail from the twinkle in her turquoise orbs, to the teasing smile her lips displayed.

"Her words both challenge and taunt me at the exact same time." He thought to himself while his hands slowly flexed down by his side in anticipation. Inside his mind, Snake Eyes laughed. "Dangerous mistake Isabella."

When Snake Eyes made no motion to reply, Isabella's eyebrows rose and fell triumphantly before she started to turn away from the black clad ninja.

With tremendous speed, Snake Eyes' two, powerful hands reached out and grabbed Isabella by both her arms from behind. Isabella barely had enough time to utter a gasp of surprise before she felt herself swung about while Snake Eyes changed the position of his hands from the back of her arms to the front. Next thing Isabella knew, she found her back being pressed tightly up against the wall right next to the white board with Snake Eyes standing directly in front of her. His hands held her arms out by her side, pinning them effectively to the wall while his own arms acted like a well built cage, surrounding Isabella's form, keeping her trapped on the spot.

Isabella glanced down on her pinned body in disbelief before raising her head up to glare into Snake Eyes' hidden face. It was then she took notice of how close the black ninja was actually standing. Only a few inches of distance seemed to be separating their two bodies now; it was so close Isabella could practically feel his own body heat radiate off his form. And if she even dared to take in a deep breath of air, surely their chests would touch. Against her will, her heart had started to race and the awareness of Snake Eyes' body being where it was brought forth a new, deep feeling within Isabella. His hold on her arms was sending bolts of electricity all throughout Isabella's body, leaving behind a warm, tingly sensation.

"Wow…." Isabella dazedly thought to herself before her conscious finally kicked in.

"_**Snap out of it, girl! What are you doing?" it screamed.**_

Isabella averted her gaze and instantly shook off the distracting feelings with a quick shake of her head while her tongue came out and lightly brushed her suddenly dry lips. When she felt in control, Isabella gazed back up at Snake Eyes; her eyes had once more narrowed in irritation while a scowl pulled at her lips.

"Touché." She stated in her coldest tone. Even through his mask, Isabella could not mistake the smile that was pulling at the ninja's mouth. With a nod of his head, Snake Eyes released Isabella's arms and took a step back to give her some space. She then released a long, quiet breath that she didn't even know she was holding at the time before she started taking small steps around the black ninja's larger form, not even bothering to look at Snake Eyes once as she moved. "Don't get use to it though," she added in a serious tone while a single corner of her mouth turned upwards into a tiny smile, "I'll take you out later." She promised as she made her way across the room, heading over to its open doorway. When she finally passed through and disappeared around its corner, Snake Eyes shook his head in amusement while his arms came up and crossed themselves over his chest,

"Sounds like a plan." He thought in response.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 20:

The moment Isabella finally stepped foot back into the bunker's main room, she was instantly confronted by a fretful Breaker. He stepped into her path as she crossed the room, his hands on his hips,

"Where have you been, Bella? I've been searching everywhere for you." He exclaimed before he wagged a scolding finger in Isabella's face, "You can't just go gallivanting around the pit!"

Isabella glanced around the room before turning her attention back onto the Moroccan in front of her; an amused smile pulled at her lips,

"Why not?" she returned. Breaker through his hands up in the air,

"Why do you think, woman. Last thing we need right now is you getting lost." He answered.

"Hey!" Isabella replied in protest as she displayed a look of pretend hurt on her face, "I'll have you know, I have great sense of direction." She stated defensively as her arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest while she popped a hip out.

"….Ok well…still! Let us know where you're wandering off to that way I won't have to send Snake Eyes out after you." Breaker informed.

Isabella raised a single eyebrow up at the information, "Now why would you do that?" she returned.

"Because you weren't here!" he answered.

A quick laugh escaped Isabella's lips before she reached a hand out and clapped Breaker on his shoulder before sliding right on by him, "Good observation." She stated with a soft shake of her head.

"Don't you walk away from me, young lady. We're not done yet." Breaker called to her from behind as he tailed after her retreating form.

Isabella rolled her eyes and shook her head once more as she made her way over to the table where the rest of the Joe team still sat playing cards. "Tell me…" she began, " …Has he always been the overly protective type?" she asked the table of Joes.

"I am _**not**_ overly protective, you hear me Isabella Wright?" Breaker replied defensively. Turning her head back over her shoulder, Isabella put on her sweetest face before innocently clasping her hands together in front of her.

"Oh yes, mother!" she answered in a mocking singsong voice. The Joes sitting around the table all burst into laughter.

"Mother, huh?" he repeated in a low grumble before he swiftly walked over to the couch where he picked up a magazine sitting on one of the cushions before he rolled it up. With the rolled up magazine clutched firmly in one hand, Breaker walked up to Isabella from behind. Hearing footsteps stop behind her, Isabella began turning her head over shoulder when the rolled up magazine came down and whapped her on the head.

THUNK! The young woman cringed at the unexpected attack, though it didn't hurt. "Hey!" she exclaimed in protest while laughing; her hands then came up and covered the place that had just been hit while the Joes sitting at the table all watched with amused expressions on their faces.

"Oh no you don't!" Breaker replied before he brought his handmade weapon of punishment across Isabella's lower back. A soft yelp escaped from Isabella as she arched her back in response. "If I'm the mother, then that makes you the child in need of some discipline!" Breaker stated as he used his magazine to lightly spank Isabella on her rear. She jumped away after that, turning swiftly about to face the Moroccan.

"Abusive!" she accused playfully with a smile just blossoming across her face.

"Oh!" Ripcord suddenly exclaimed before he put down his cards and jumped up from his seat, "Hey, if this is a free for all, I wanna take a few whacks at Isabella next!" he declared with a mischievous grin.

Isabella turned on him the moment those words left his mouth. Pointing a warning finger at him she shook her head, "No!"

Rolling his brown eyes, he looked over at his Moroccan friend, "Breaker?" he inquired. The computer whiz grinned in response before he shrugged a lazy shoulder, "Why not?" he replied, "….but you need to get your own magazine." He added.

"Woo!" Ripcord exclaimed happily before he took off running to the other side of the room. Within a minuet he came back with his own rolled up magazine, beating it into the palm of his hand like it was some kind of club. As he came to stand beside Breaker, the two men shared a quick roguish grin before they started advancing on the young woman before them.

Isabella back up into the table behind her; both her hands were up in front of her as a sign of caution, "Hey now…" she began as her eyes went back and forth from Ripcord to Breaker, "….you should really think long an hard about this." She warned.

Breaker cocked his head to the side, "Alright." He agreed before a look of consideration appeared on his face. "Done." He declared, "…let's get her, Ripcord."

Before the two men could strike however, Isabella took off running, easily swerving right past them before dashing right out of the Bunker's door. Rip and Breaker jumped right on her trail just seconds after the young woman dashed off. And as the table of Joes watched the trio disappear from sight, Heavy Duty found himself shaking his head at the display,

"Ironic isn't it? He asked his comrades, "…they finally get her back in the bunker only to end up chasing her out." He stated. Duke and Scarlet both nodded their heads in silent agreement before the remaining three Joes continued on with their card game like nothing was out of the ordinary.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21:

"Ah…." Came the sassy voice of the Baroness as she and her small group of Viper soldiers, Storm Shadow, and Zartan eyed the holographic map of the Pit before them.

All eyes were now glued onto the one spot of the visual where a flashing red light beamed.

"There's our little warhead case." She stated before she turned her head back over her shoulder to look at two of the Viper's she had brought with her to the GI Joe base, "You two, stay with the Mole Pods…" she ordered, "We'll go retrieve the Warheads." She finished.

Taking their orders without question, the two soldiers went to patrol their post while the rest of their team set off further into the infiltrated base.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Argh!" Isabella cried after she felt the whap of the rolled-up magazine come down on her head once more. Automatically, she in response took a low, playful swing at Breaker with her fist. Or was it Ripcord?

When the two men finally cornered her in one of the many hallways just outside their bunker, they came at her so quickly it was hard for the young woman to keep track of who did what.

"You guys are such brats!" she declared with a quick laugh, raising her arms up in a typical blocking position that took the blow of the two rolls aimed at her center.

Ripcord and Breaker laughed with her before they then decided to withdraw their hand-made weapons; giving Isabella a moment's peace from their teamed up assault.

"Sorry, Bella…." Breaker apologized with an adorable grin etched across his face, "….but perhaps that'll teach you to inform us the next time you decide to wander off."

Isabella could only roll her eyes before she waved the comment off, "…Yeah, yeah, yeah." She answered with a smile of her own, "I'll keep that mind."

Of course, that was kind of a lie. Isabella was too independent and far too prideful for that sort of stuff. She did what she want, when she wanted to; no questions asked.

"Whew!" Ripcord exclaimed breathlessly as he rested his arm on Breaker's shoulder's, "….why don't we head on back to the Bunker." He suggested, "I'll get us some drinks." He added.

Drinks did sound good.

Shaking her head softly, Isabella politely declined the offer, "Maybe later, fellas." She answered before she smoothly glided past the two men and started down the hallway, "…I must speak with General Hawk about something first. So I'll see you in a few."

Breaker and Ripcord both shared a quick look with each other before shrugging their shoulder's in resignation.

"Alright, girl." Ripcord answered, "…have fun with that."

"Yeah." Breaker agreed, "….Don't take too long ok?"

"Will do." She answered with a quick nod.

With those words of departure, Isabella separated herself from the two men, and set off for General Hawk's quarters.

The walk wasn't too long; a good ten minutes or so. As she turned down the hallway that would take her to the General's office, from a distance she saw that his door was wide open. And as she drew nearer she heard multiple voices coming from the room.

At once, Isabella stopped her approach. There was something off about the voices; they sounded familiar….but not in the good kind of way.

Other sounds coming from the office soon followed the voices; something was definitely going on in there.

Frowning, Isabella tiptoed closer to the office to investigate what was going on. But before she got too close, a bunch of people stepped out of the General's room at once.

Isabella felt her blood run cold as her eyes darted back and forth from the faces of the Baroness and her apparent groupies. Storm Shadow, much to her displeasure, and Zartan were amongst them as well. They had stopped in their tracks the moment their eyes fell upon the younger woman's form.

"No way…" she managed to breathe out; her hand instantly reaching down to her left lip to feel for some sort of weapon. Too bad for her she had no gun on her person; she wasn't even wearing a holster.

More importantly, how on earth did these people even get into the Pit?

It was then Isabella saw that the Baroness was gripping the warhead case with one hand.

Well, that explained their motive "….they're after the Warheads." Her mind screamed.

"Well, well, well," Zartan spoke up as he stepped up to take the front of his group, "…hello again, sweetheart." He greeted with a cruel smirk, "Miss us?"

Isabella's turquoise eyes narrowed in anger before she took a cautious step back, "Hardly…" she answered in an icy tone.

"You know," the bald man continued on, "…it's very lucky that you found us." He continued on as he took another approaching step towards her "Saves us the trouble of tracking you down."

Isabella's brows drew together in confusion, "I beg your pardon?" she returned, not completely understanding where this man was going with this.

"The good Doctor is most anxious to finish your long-overdue appointment."

The young woman gasped and retreated back another couple steps. So then, they had a double motive for coming here. One was to obviously retrieve the warheads from the Joes, the other….

"Oh screw that!" Isabella snapped venomously; instantly recalling their Doctor's so-called-plans, "You can tell the Doctor that he can take that machine of his and shove it up his a…."

"Now, now…." Storm Shadow suddenly cut her off and fixed her with an almost scolding look, "….There's no need for such foul language to leave the mouth of a young lady like yourself."

She frowned at his words. What was with men thinking that they could tell her what she can or can't do? She's twenty-three years old for crying out loud. Just in spite of the white-clad ninja, Isabella used the most colorful swear word she knew.

"_Fuck_…." She started in a slow, drawn out voice, "…you, Storm Shadow."

Behind his white mask, the ninja raised a single, dark brow up in hidden amusement at the woman's choice of words. She definitely had spirit; he had to give her that. But unfortunately, that will only get you so far in a compromising situation. And whether she knew it now or not, Isabella Wright was in quite the situation.

Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Storm Shadow took a step forward.

"Careful, Isabella…" he warned, "….it would be best if you keep that sharp tongue of yours quiet…" he stated, "….or I'll silence it for you."

"Bring it!" she snapped back; if this guy wanted to challenge her, she'd meet him head on.

Then again….

What was she thinking? She had no weapons on her whatsoever. And this guy was a ninja. Just like…

"Snake Eyes…." The silent, black-clad ninja's image suddenly came to Isabella's mind. Now, Snake eyes was an incomparable opponent; his skill with his blade, his speed….

"His strength…" her mind added in a soft whisper; as she recalled his built body of rippling muscles.

Though Isabella would never admit this out loud, she knew that physically, she was no match for that black ninja. And if Storm Shadow was anything like him, and she had a strong hunch that he was, she was going to be in for it.

"So can I like knock her out, like now?" Zartan suddenly asked as he eyed Isabella's form from where he stood. He seemed almost anxious to raise a hand against her.

"No…." Storm Shadow replied firmly as he turned his black eyes upon the woman himself, "….I'll deal with her."

"Shit!" Isabella mentally screamed inside her head. Perhaps now would be a good time to call for back up or heck, maybe find a gun somewhere?

Before the white ninja could make his move, Isabella spun away on her heel and took off down the hall. But right as she made it to the corridor's intersection, a sharp pain struck her in the left leg, right around her calve muscle.

At once, she fell to her knee; her eyes closed against the pain while her hand found the throbbing spot on her limb. Cool, jagged metal met the tips of her fingers, and as Isabella looked down on her injury, she discovered a single, throwing star protruding out of her leg. Already, blood started soaking through her pants.

Hearing footsteps approach her from behind, Isabella's head turned back over her shoulder to glare up into Storm Shadow's makes face. His dark eyes shot right back into her turquoise ones and they were alight with smug triumph.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

The bastard…


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22:

Storm Shadow reached down, firmly gripped Isabella by her upper arm and almost effortlessly, lifted the young woman back up into a standing position.

She stumbled slightly, wincing inwardly as another stab of pain shot through her leg. Then, to her utter disgust, the white-clad ninja in response slid an arm around her shoulders, forcing her to actually lean into his lean body; probably because this way, it gave him the upper hand. This way, she was more under his control; physically at least.

"But this closeness…" Isabella thought to herself as she glanced warily at Storm Shadow through her peripherals. It made her very uneasy and restless. He was too close for her tastes. She did not like it one bit.

"Do you mind?" she asked while fixing the white ninja with an icy glare.

Storm Shadow pretended not to hear, "Let's go." He ordered; signaling that it was time for them to move out.

With a forceful nudge on her back, Storm Shadow started forward, dragging with him a resisting Isabella who was still tucked under his arm.

The first step was killer on Isabella's leg.

"Ow!" the young woman cried in protest of walking; with the throwing star still lodged in the muscle of her left calve, Isabella could feel the jagged piece of metal cut deeper into leg with every step.

Her cry though, went unnoticed by Storm Shadow as he continued on directing her down the corridor with the rest of his team following behind.

"Hey, Jackass!" she hissed through her teeth, "You forgot to take out that blasted ninja toy from my leg!"

Storm Shadow's only response was the small, corner-lifting of his mouth behind his mask in what was probably a smirk. And then to Isabella's already growing hatred for the guy, he lengthened his stride, leaving her with no choice but to quicken hers to the obvious point of hobbling.

Oh, if only she had her gun. Better yet, _**her **_team?

Like an answer to a prayer, the security alarm started to sound. Its loud, ear ringing call echoing off the walls, resounding all throughout the pit.

So the Joes did know that their base had been infiltrated….

Good.

Understanding that they've been caught, Storm Shadow, the Baroness, and their Vipers started off at an easy run down through the corridors. The Ninja was practically having to half drag half carry Isabella for she refused to make their job easy for them by digging her heels into the floor to slow the ninja down.

Suddenly, Storm Shadow tugged Isabella along with him into one a large, open room with all sorts of high tech gear; his comrades following swiftly behind. As they started across the room, Isabella caught sight of half a dozen escape pods that resembled drills.

"Must've been how they were able to sneak in here…" Isabella noted to herself. But then something else caught her eye as well; a large and dark, bulky build that had swiftly snuck behind one of the large pillars in the room.

A smile of recognition pulled at Isabella's mouth. These guys were so going to be in it.

At once, Heavy Duty stepped out of hiding and fired off a couple of grenade guns that effectively blew the pods up while also momentarily taking out two of the Vipers who had been standing guard.

While the sudden explosions shook the ground, startling Storm Shadow and the Baroness briefly as they watched their escape route perish before their eyes, Isabella took advantage of their distracted forms. Locking her elbows together, Isabella rammed them down into Storm Shadow's side with all her might.

He hunched over slightly from the attack, giving her the needed time to slip away out from under his arm and retreat back a few paces.

"Bella!" Heavy Duty yelled in an attempt to get her attention.

The woman's head snapped around to see Heavy Duty across the room holding something smaller in his hands.

"Catch!" he added before he drew his arm back and chucked the object he held directly at her.

At once Isabella stumbled forward and caught the object in her hands while a small smile of gratitude pulled at her mouth as she looked down on at what she now held; a nicely polished and fully loaded pistol.

Oh yes, now it was time to get in on this fight.

Gripping the gun firmly in one hand, Isabella turned about to scout out her closest opponent, her eyes coming to land on a Viper standing about ten feet away on her left side. He had spotted her too. At once he turned to face her directly before he started to advance.

As Isabella watched him get closer, she raised her armed hand up, took aim with the pistol, and once the Viper stood close enough, she fired. The bullet however ricocheted of his metal plated chest. And that was when Isabella remembered,

"Damn…." She muttered under her breath as she fired a couple more times at the approaching Viper, "…these guys are bulletproof. Hey, Heavy Duty!" she called as she retreated back a few steps as the Viper continued to approach, "….it's not working!"

With no other choice at hand, Isabella locked the safety of the gun and tucked it into her belt before she decided that her best option was hand-to-hand. Charging, Isabella threw all her weight at the Viper's center, effectively knocking them both to the ground. Taking the dominating position on top of the guy's chest, Isabella curled her hand into a tight fist, raised it up and rammed it right into the Viper's head. As her knuckles connected with the metal helmet, pain shot up her entire arm.

She bit back a cry, as her hand automatically coming up to be cradled against her chest. "Way to go Bella…." She mentally kicked herself, "….punch metal with bruised knuckles."

Isabella felt sure this time she may have broken one or two.

But before she could think more on that particular thought, the Viper, who was beneath her, had recovered and threw a punch of his own; landing a blow directly on the right side of her jaw.

Isabella fell roughly to the ground, skidding back across the floor for about a foot or so. The force briefly left her in a daze, but she quickly shook it off and picked herself up off the ground.

But just as she got back to her feet, the boot of the Viper collided roughly with her midsection, stealing the breath right from her body. While she hunched over, the he reached out and grasped her by her neck, lifting off the ground, forcing her to dangle in midair.

"Sh….it…" she managed to get out. Though it was only seconds, Isabella felt like she had been hanging there helplessly for minuets. It was amazing that she hadn't passed out yet.

"Hey, Metal-head!" yelled a most familiar voice from across the room, "….get your hands off my girl, Bella!"

It was Ripcord. And following his voice came the sound of a motorized vehicle. Both Isabella and the Viper turned to watch as Ripcord charged at them, driving some kind of cart.

"I said drop her!" Ripcord shouted, his face holding the expression of pure rage.

The Viper, surprisingly, complied with the order and released Isabella. Her comrade than gave her just moments to move to the side before he floored the cart and drove it straight into the Viper's chest.

With the Viper dead and out of the way, Ripcord hopped out of the driver's seat and ran over to Isabella who was tenderly rubbing the base of her throat with her hand.

"Hey, girl." Ripcord greeted, a look of deep concern etched on his dark face, "…you ok?" he asked while he placed a hand down on her shoulder.

Isabella swallowed but nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm okay." She answered, "Thanks for the hand."

Ripcord grinned before he reached down to his belt and pulled out a handheld of his own, "No problem." He assured as he skillfully twirled the gun with his finger, "…now let's take care of these bastards."

Isabella smiled in response but as the two turned around to face the multiple fights going on, the smile vanished when a flash of white came directly at them.

"Ripcord!" Isabella cried out in warning as she started reaching for her own gun. Ripcord automatically raised his own up in response but when Storm Shadow's katana came down on the nose of the gun, smoothly chopping the piece of metal off, Ripcord could only stare at his busted weapon with a lock of pure shock on his face.

Storm Shadow then swung his blade around, prepared to strike at Ripcord again but before he could bring the weapon down a second time, Isabella snagged Ripcord by the back of his shirt and threw him out of the way, prepared to take the blow herself.

Only it never came. But something else did.

A blur of black, moving so swift and silently like a shadow, it jumped out of nowhere and stepped protectively in front of Isabella's form. Following it, was the distinctive sound of clashing metal. The noise instantly startled Isabella, but what even alarmed her more was not what had stopped Storm Shadow, but _who._

It was an unbelievable sight that Isabella couldn't look away from. Her turquoise eyes were glued to that well-muscled back that had shielded her perfectly from the White ninja's blade. The black figure's stance was wide, and skillfully poised as he held his katana up, crossed like an 'X' with Storm Shadow's.

And…

…it was positively….._breathtaking_ seeing him like this.

Isabella could not deny the fact that her heart had suddenly started pounding the moment she recognized who this man was; and she was absolutely blown away by the sight of him.

"Snake Eyes…" she managed to speak out, her voice no louder than a soft whisper of disbelief.

He had heard her though; his black, masked head turned slightly over his shoulder in acknowledgement. Feeling his eyes and their intensity, though they were hidden by his visor, stare directly back into her face, Isabella blushed faintly and offered him a tiny, sincere smile of gratitude. It was the least she could do for him.

Her savior….


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 23:

Isabella was shaken out of her appreciative thoughts for Snake Eyes when she felt the toned arm of Ripcord slide itself around her waist before the man started to pull Isabella away from the two ninja now engaged in some serious combat.

"Come Bella..." Ripcord encouraged, "...let's go girl; we gotta get that case back."

Case?  
Isabella gasped, her eyes widening in remembrance, "The Warheads!" she exclaimed softly.

How could she have forgotten about that?

Eyes searching for a lead as to where or who had the case, Isabella spotted the Baroness moving across the upper deck, on the other side room. Ducking out from underneath her comrades arm, Isabella took off in fast pursuit of the retreating woman.

"Bella!' Ripcord called after her.

But Isabella only quickened her pace; swiftly crossing the room before she leaped up onto a metal incline that would take her up to where the Baroness was heading.

The catwalk she was on was narrow, but sturdy. Glancing down below, the raging battle of Joes versus Cobra's continued; multiple explosions went off in all directions, small fires glowed around the room, and the main sounds one could hear were the sounds of guns going off and the screams of pain when someone got shot.

The disastrous sight formed a tight knot in Isabella's stomach. How she prayed that the Joes were going to be okay.

Veering to the left, taking a sharp turn down another plank, Isabella saw that she was quickly approaching the Baroness who had stopped just up ahead.

But why had she stopped?

Well, she looked to be standing on something separate from the catwalks Isabella was on.

As Isabella analyzed just where exactly the Baroness had run to, she felt her heart stop in her throat.

"Oh no!" she declared as she willed her legs, even the one injured to move even faster.

The Baroness must've heard her coming for she spun about to see Isabella charging. In response, the dark haired woman smiled before she softly shook her head at Isabella.

At that same moment, the place where the Baroness had been standing started moving beneath her; slowly.

"Damn it, no!' Isabella cried as she skidded to stop and could do nothing but stare up as the Baroness rode the elevator up to an even higher location.

She had not been fast enough. And now the Baroness was at least another 15 feet or so above. She of course looked down on Isabella with a smug look of triumph; and that simply made Isabella's blood boil.

Isabella wanted nothing more but to rub her pretty little face all over the concrete floor of the Pit.

However, sudden movement from behind the Baroness averted Isabella's attention. Isabella caught sight of a flaming red head before the Baroness and another female figure tumbled off the elevator together; landing on top of what looked to be a setup of all kinds of materials from nets, to mats.

The two then rolled off the top and fell back down to the ground below. Isabella hurried over to the side of the catwalk to look down and see what had become of them.

Scarlet, already recovered from her fall, stood poised and ready for a fight; the Baroness looked the same.

Isabella sighed in relief. "Good timing, Scarlet." she breathed out in approval with a soft nod of her head.

Now, seeing that Scarlet had everything under control with the Baroness, Isabella turned away and once again set her course for the battle below.

It was time she finally got back into this fight.

Backtracking her steps till she came across the steep incline that had brought her up to the catwalks in the first place, Isabella carefully but swiftly made her way back down to the ground where all the action was taking place.

Upon setting foot upon the cement flooring of the room, a brief, womanly cry reached Isabella's ears and she in response, snapped her head in the direction of the sound and saw that the Baroness had somehow gotten a metal chain around Scarlet's neck.

"Scarlet!" Isabella's mind screamed.

Without a moment's hesitation, Isabella took off to help aid the fiery redhead. But before she could get close enough, a jet of blue light intercepted her path.

The light had come from one of the Cobra's high tech guns. And the shot left a small crater in the solid pavement while the shockwaves hit Isabella like a ton of bricks.

Isabella cried out at the force as she felt herself get thrown back a few yards before striking the floor; skidding back into a wall. Her head took most of the blow; she knew this by the sickening cracking sound that came when the right side of her head met the solid barrier of the wall. Then there was a flash of pain behind her eyes before her vision went white, and her body numb.

Instinctively, she brought a hand up to the throbbing spot on her head with had taken the impact of her fall, and found herself unsurprised when she felt it go wet with blood; a lot of blood.

Isabella cringed, gritting her teeth against the pain for a few moments; then after much struggling, she willed herself to get up off the ground once again.

It seemed at first, that her body was going to be cooperating. Her legs started shaking when she began putting weight on them, and her vision was still fuzzy from hitting her head. But Isabella's was determined to get back up and continue fighting like everyone else.

"So damn it..." she swore out loud, "...Move!"

It took her a bit longer to get going, but by her fierce determination, Isabella moved back out to the heat of the battle.

Now, first things first...

"Who the hell shot at me?" she asked out loud as her turquoise eyes narrowed into two, unforgiving slits as they scanned the room for a possible suspect.

"That would be me, girlie." A low, almost robotic voice answered from behind Isabella.

Slowly, unafraid, Isabella turned around and sure enough, a Viper Soldier stood poised with his gun aimed at her center.

The young woman straightened up while her eyes flashed angrily.

"Bastard..." she spat venomously.

No one shoots at Isabella Wright and gets away with it.

With great speed that surprised both herself and the Viper, Isabella threw herself at the man's weapon, taking hold of it with one hand and jerking his arm up till the gun was pointed at the ceiling. During their struggle, the gun went off; its blue laser shot up and struck the ceiling right above Isabella's and the Viper's head.

"You bitch!" the Viper hissed at her as he fought for control over his weapon again. But Isabella was not giving him any slack.

He jerked her around, tugged, but the woman would not let go. Instead, she closed off as much of the distance she could between her body and Viper's while keeping out of the weapon's range as it got pointed this way and that.

Then with the Viper distracted with the positioning of his weapon, Isabella rammed her knee up and into the man's groin. The move was what Isabella referred to as a 'low below' and she normally would go and hit 'below the belt' like that, but seeing how things were, she decided to make an exception.

The Viper howled in pain, instantly loosening up his grip on his gun so that Isabella was able to pry it away from him and take a few steps back while he hunched over to try and recover.

Taking the high tech gun up as her own, Isabella messed around with it controls for a second before she took aim at the Viper in front.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" she rhetorically asked without any sympathy in her icy tone before her finger found the trigger and pulled.

The blue light shot out and struck the Viper right in his center and the force knocked him away a few, great feet before he fell to the ground limply and remained unmoving.

Isabella blew a huffed sigh out in response before she lowered the gun down to her side.

Well looks like things were starting to get a bit better here.

A sharp crack from above however had to disagree.

Hearing the sound, Isabella's head threw itself back to look up. Her eyes widened when she saw a whole bunch of falling debris coming right down upon her. They must've come dislodged when, during the struggles with the Viper, the gun went off.

Chunks of solid concrete from the ceiling were raining down now; chunks bigger then footballs.

"Oh god..." Isabella breathed out in horror; there was no way she would be able to get out of the rocks' range before they fell upon her. She wouldn't be quick enough.

Thank her lucky star however that she didn't have to be...

As Isabella braced herself for the impact of the falling debris, a powerful form threw itself at Isabella, its pair of incredibly strong arms wrapping themselves about her waist from behind before cleanly knocking them both out of the way of the falling debris.

Naturally, Isabella had not been expecting this. So when she suddenly found herself flat on her back, all the breath left her body in a single 'whoosh' which forced her to also squeeze her eyes shut in response.

A few feet away, the loud smacking of the debris hitting the ground reached her ears; dust from the broken concrete filled the air while some tinier remains of the debris sprinkled over Isabella's form.

When things had finally calmed down once again, Isabella drew in a shaky breath to help calm her racing heart and it was then that she grew aware of the arms that were still wrapped around her body protectively.

Slowly, Isabella let her eyes sweep back open. At once, her heart stopped in her chest.

Crouching over her body, with his legs on either side of her own so that she lied safely beneath his well muscled form, was that all too familiar Black Clad ninja, Snake Eyes.

Staring up into his masked face, Isabella felt her throat go dry when she saw that he was staring back too.

He then gave her a slow nod of his head in acknowledgement before he carefully unwound his arms from around her waist and slowly rose to his feet.

Isabella laid there frozen for a few seconds longer before she followed his lead.

Sitting up, Isabella shifted softly so that she could brace a leg up to help assist her to her feet; but when that certain leg was the one that still contained that blasted throwing star, Isabella cried out in pain before collapsing back down.

Her hands instantly found the wounded spot; touching the jagged metal that was still in her calve.

"Shit..." she swore out loud, "...forgot about this..."

In one swift movement, Snake Eyes was back down kneeling right next to her. His black, gloved hands lightly examining the injury himself before he turned his black head upon Isabella.

He didn't have to say anything for her to be able to tell what the intensity of his gaze meant.

She shrugged in response, "...It's not so bad..." she lied, "...could've been worse."

At least that much was true.

Snake Eyes softly sighed and shook his head before he reached out with one hand and gently touched the bleeding gash on her head.

Isabella winced at the contact since that was also sensitive but remained silent. It was then that she pulled her gaze away from the ninja kneeling in front of her to get a good look at what else was going on.

The enemy was no longer in sight. In fact, the fighting had finally stopped.

What had Isabella missed?

When the woman turned back to Snake Eyes with the question burning brightly in her eyes, the black ninja couldn't help the tiny curve of his mouth in response.

Then he reached a single hand out and placed it on her shoulder; a gesture that meant, 'don't worry about it, it'll all be explained later.'

Isabella frowned at that. So Snake Eyes gave her shoulder a soft, almost affectionate squeeze.

She sighed, both in acceptance and irritation. Then with a gentle toss of her head, she made another attempt to get back up to her feet.

But before she could stand tall again, Snake Eyes rose up as well, much faster than Isabella did and in one easy movement, he scooped the young woman up into his arms.

Isabella yelped in response, her arms instinctively wrapping themselves about the black ninja's neck.

"Snake Eyes!" she exclaimed in protest as she desperately clung the man. "This isn't necessary."

His response was a slight turn of his head so that he could look the woman he had in the face while an unseen eyebrow raised itself into a high arch of disbelief.

"Please put me down..." she politely asked, "I don't like being carried."

Another smile pulled at Snake Eyes' mouth before he gently shook his head 'no'.

Then with the protesting woman safely in his arms, Snake Eyes turned around and started across the room where a group of medics were attending to some of the wounded Joe Soldiers there.

Snake Eyes brought Isabella over to a high crate before he gently set her down upon it. Then he made a quick gesture with his hand, telling her to stay put before he turned and went over to the medics where he then retrieved some medical equipment that he then brought back over to where Isabella sat with her arms crossed over her chest. He placed his material down next to her on the crate before he moved to stand directly in front of her, leaving less than a foot of space between them.

It took only one glance at the look upon Isabella's face for Snake Eyes to try and resist the urge to smile.

Her eyes were slightly narrowed, her full lips were pursed; almost like a pout. It was an adorable expression.

And sure, her hair which had been tied back had fallen loose in long, wild waves around her face; half of which was covered in blood from the gash on her head, and there were quite a few purplish bruises that colored her skin around her neck as well as the underside of her jaw...

...But despite all of that...

Snake Eyes thought her to be the loveliest thing he has seen in a long time.

Without breaking eye contact, Snake Eyes reached down and picked up a tool that resembled a kind of scalpel. He then looked away from Isabella to kneel down before her so that he could get a better look at the leg that had the throwing star lodged in it.

However, before he could get to work on removing it, Isabella's hand reached down and caught his hand that was holding the tool he was getting ready to use.

"Hold on..." she started as her eyes narrowed even more, this time in uncertainly rather than displeasure. "Are you qualified to do something like this?"

Snake Eyes cocked his head to the side for a brief moment before he nodded his black, masked head 'yes'.

Isabella drew her lower lip into her mouth and lightly bit down on it with her teeth.

Seeing her hesitation, Snake Eyes rotated his hand that she still held so that he could give it a encouraging squeeze.

Isabella lightly gasped at the gesture before she looked back down to see that indeed, they were holding hands; heat came to her cheeks and instantly, she let him go.

"So bashful..." Snake Eyes noted with a tiny smile before he turned his attention back onto the task of getting the throwing star out of Isabella's leg.

Isabella watched the black clad ninja intently as he skillfully cut away some of her pants leg so that he could have better access to the metal star in her calve. Watching him work on her like this, the young woman couldn't help but shake her head in wonder.

"A ninja, a tracker, a master swords fighter..." her thoughts carried off when she saw Snake Eyes reach for a syringe before he started to slowly bring the needle down to her leg; probably to numb the area so that the extracting would be more painless, "...and now a doctor."

Was there anything that this man couldn't do?

"Ooohhh!" Isabella cringed when she felt the needle pierce into her already flesh. The stinging pain lasted only for a second before it was replaced by a numbing sensation that left her leg feeling heavy and thick.

She then closed her eyes to adjust to the strange new feeling which was then followed by a weird kind of pressure on the wound; and then a sense of sudden release.

When Isabella reopened her eyes, she gasped when she saw Snake Eyes kneeling before her with the bloody throwing star between two of his fingers.

"So fast...and hardly without any pain..." she thought quietly in awe as she stared at the jagged weapon that had been in her calve for some time now. When she brought her gaze back to Snake Eye's face, she found herself completely speechless.

Since when were Ninja's ever expert operators?


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 24:

"Who'd of thought that Ninja boy here had such a soft touch?" Isabella quietly asked herself as she silently observed the black clad man as he finished stitching up the gash in her leg.

The young woman found a deep fascination in watching the way his long, nimble fingers worked. That wasn't strange, was it?

Well, needless to say,

"He's very capable with his hands..." her conscience added.

At her own thought, Isabella blushed furiously.

What was that?

More importantly...where are these thoughts coming from?

Bringing her hands up from her side, she let them innocently rest across her suddenly and frantically fluttering stomach.

Surely, what she was feeling right now was just some aftermath of the battle...

"Right?" she asked herself as her eyes remained frozen on Snake Eyes.

No...this had to be something else.

When Snake Eyes' dark head turned up and saw Isabella watching him, the young woman could've sworn that her heart had stopped beating for a couple seconds.

And when she saw him smile softly behind his mask, an incredible warmth that started in her core, went and spread itself throughout her entire body.

Returning the expression with a tiny, shyer one of her own, Isabella's eyes swept down while her head bowed softly to stare at her lap, breaking the eye contact. "Perhaps I'm falling ill..." she considered.

Or perhaps there was something else at work here; something far greater, and more wondrous than anything Isabella has ever experienced...

In a blinking second, Isabella gasped quietly when she found Snake Eyes' hand, palm up, right in her line of vision. Glancing up in surprise, the young woman found the black Ninja stand tall before her, offering her his hand.

Unconsciously, Isabella reached out and placed her hand within Snake Eyes who then proceeded to help her off the crate till she herself was back, standing on her own two feet, good as new again.

Amazing though, she hadn't even heard him move once in his position; yet here he was. Standing just a foot away...

"Uh...by the way, Snake Eyes..." Isabella finally spoke up while she averted her gaze, feeling suddenly timid, and reached a hand up to run it through her tousled hair; a few strands ended up falling loose around the right side of her face, partially hiding her eye.

"...Thank you." she said in a most sincere voice before she lifted her eyes back up to stare into the ninja's black mask, "...for saving me back there." she paused for a second, "...oh and for the quick fix-up on the leg." She finished with a brief, tiny laugh.

Snake Eyes of course, remained silent as always. His eyes staring intently into Isabella's face from behind his visor. Then, to the young woman's surprise, he raised a black gloved hand up and gently brushed away the loose strands of hair away from her face, carefully tucking them behind her ear before nodding slowly.

It was his own way of saying 'Your welcome.'

And it blew Isabella away. The gesture was so tender, so...sweet.

Was this the same ninja that had practically dislocated her arm the first night they met? Or creamed her during her training?

He drove her absolutely crazy then.

"...but now..." she confessed.

"Yo Isabella!"

The young woman jumped at her name, instantly losing her train of thought as she turned about to see Ripcord approaching.

"Hey Rip." she replied, giving him a small smile as he came to a stop right beside her.

Ripcord grinned softly before he affectionately draped his arm around Isabella's shoulders, pulling her in for a quick hug. "How you standing, girl?" he asked.

Isabella playfully nudged him with her elbow, "Well... I'm _standing_ at least." she answered before she gently nodded her head over at Snake Eyes standing across from them, watching the two with an unwavering gaze. "Thanks to Snake here."

At that, Ripcord's brown eyes flickered over to where the Black clad ninja stood. And Isabella could've sworn that she felt him tense up under Snake Eyes scrutinized stare.

"I guess Snake Eyes still makes him nervous..." she noted to herself with a secret smile.

"...Sup, Zen Master." Ripcord stated in a low voice of acknowledgement towards the other man.

Snake Eyes nodded once as his response while Ripcord cleared his throat; his arm that he placed around Isabella then unconsciously tightened around her shoulders in security.

She noticed this of course, but said nothing.

...She'll have plenty of time to tease him about it later.

"Hey Bella, let's get you back to the bunker." Ripcord suggested as he shifted on his feet to look the young woman over, "...get yourself cleaned up a bit, you know?"

Isabella angled her head upwards to stare into Ripcord's handsome face while a playful frown pulled at her lips. "What are you saying, Rip?" she returned.

"In all honesty?" he replied.

"Of course."

"...you look horrible..." he finally confessed.

At first Isabella was silent, but then she surprised both men when her head dropped back and she emitted a heartwarming laugh. When her laughter slowed she fixed Ripcord with a friendly glare.

"Gee..." she answered, "...thanks Rip. That's exactly the sort of thing a woman wants to hear..."

Ripcord grinned before he gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze with his hand, "Still love ya, though."

Isabella dramatically shook her head, "Nope...I can't believe that." she answered, "...you think I'm hideous." she finished with an adorable pout.

"Oh I never said _that_!" Ripcord answered defensively with a chuckle, "However...that blood on your face does grant you a new look. Like the ones you see in those old monster movies..." he stated pausing for a second or so before adding, "...Like Frankenstein."

Isabella's mouth dropped open while a look of shock and amusement played across her features, "Frankenstein?" she repeated, "...you're calling me Frankenstein now? Boy..." she shook her head while her arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest, "...oh no you didn't."

Watching Isabella from his place, Snake Eyes couldn't stop the smile that was pulling at his mouth. She truly was something else; funny too.

"I..." Ripcord paused and laughed briefly before shaking his head, "...ok I'm gonna stop now before I say anything more that'll get me into trouble." he admitted, "...but seriously Bella, you should head on back to the bunker. You got banged up, quite a bit." he pointed out.

Isabella shrugged calmly, "It happens."

Ripcord sighed and shook his head before he gently started directing the young woman himself, "Come on, Bella..." he ordered in a firm but caring tone, "...That cut on your head needs to be looked at, ASAP."

With that said, Ripcord started walking away, taking Isabella with him.

When Isabella saw this, she put dug her heels into the ground in protest, "Oh wait Ripcord..." She then tried finding a way to look back behind them, to say a quick goodbye to Snake Eyes.

Ripcord saw her efforts and chuckled as he continued leading her further away from the black ninja, "Don't worry, you can see your boyfriend later, Bella." he promised with a teasing wink.

"Boyfriend?" she whispered back. "No...he's not..."

"Uh-huh." Ripcord answered, cleanly cutting her off before he turned his head back over his shoulder to see Snake Eyes watching them leave.

"Hope you don't mind me taking, my girl Bella, here for a bit!" he called back for the ninja to hear.

The black clad ninja was as still a statue when Ripcord's words settled over him. Then, straightening up to his full height as he watched the Ripcord sweep Isabella out of the room, Snake Eyes' hands, which were both down by his side, flexed a few times in his silence before he frowned behind his mask.

Ripcord had made a slip-up with his words.

So, with the one thought on his mind, Snake Eyes firmly corrected the error of the mistaken man.

"...**_My_** Bella..."

And yes actually...he did mind.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 25:

Sighing, "For the last time Ripcord...I'm **fine**!" Isabella informed as she sat crossed legged on the couch in the Bunker with her hands resting in her lap while Ripcord sitting beside her, lightly dabbed at the bleeding cut on her head with a wet rag, mumbling under his breath about arranging for an 'all-over physical' for her...with cat scans?

"Ok, now that is completely unnecessary." she stated as her arms came up and folded themselves comfortably across her chest, "...Don't you think that's just a tiny bit extreme?"

Ripcord's brows furrowed together softly, a tiny frown of concentration pulling at his lips as he examined the gash on Isabella's right temple, "You got an head injury, Bella..." he answered, "...you might have a concussion."

Pulling the damp, bloodied rag away, Ripcord then bent over and pick a dark bottle off the ground by his feet. He popped the cap open with his thumb before he tilted the bottle up and let some of its contents wet one corner of the piece of cloth.

"Now you maaaayyy feel a tiny sting with this..." he confessed as he leaned back in towards the cut with his rag.

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Can't be any worse than when I had received it..." she grumbled back with a soft snort. "What is it, by the way?"

"...Hydrogen Peroxide..." he answered.

"Mmmm...great...Hydrogen Per..."Isabella stared to repeat but stopped when she just realized what that substance was, "Oh shit, Ripco..."

Before she could finish, the chemically moist rag made contact with her open wound. At first, all she did feel was a sting, but in seconds, that feeling progressed to a malicious burn.

She couldn't stop herself when her eyes closed shut, her head dropped back and she shouted up to the high ceiling above in pain.

"Mother of fucking Cheesecake!" Isabella exclaimed through gritted teeth, the words coming out as a hiss than anything else. "That hurts!"

Ripcord's jaw dropped open slightly at her colorful declaration, "...Well...I warned you it was gonna sting..." he replied carefully, gently shifting the rag slightly to cover a different spot.

"OWWW! This is not stinging, its..." Isabella paused when Ripcord moved the rag again, " Ooooh!" her face scrunched softly as another fiery wave of pain washed over her head.

That finally did her in.

Isabella's eyes narrowed before she fixed a harsh glare at Ripcord, "That's it..." she replied, "Give me that rag!"

Before Ripcord could prepare himself, Isabella lunged; throwing her weight directly at his center while her hands impatiently sought to take that blasted piece of cloth away.

"Wait...Bella..." Ripcord replied as he found himself trying to hold off a rather aggressive young woman next to him who had just managed to get her hands on a corner of the rag.

"No!" she replied firmly while she tugged, and tugged hard.

The two were relentless. Pulling this way, jerking that way; it was no surprise that eventually the rag split itself right down the middle.

And when that happened, Isabella and Ripcord who had both been in mid-tug, found themselves tumbling right off the couch in opposite directions with neither one of them being aware of the small audience watching from the doorway.

For Ripcord, he ended up doing a half, backwards summersault before he rolled right off the side.

Isabella, who had been sitting with her lower spine touching the arm of the couch, just fell back and over with the back of her right knee hooking around it, even when she found herself in a daze, lying on the floor.

Both groaned, breaking the brief silence that had fallen upon the room. They weren't in pain, just stunned from what had happened.

"What the _hell_...are you guys up to?" Came the thick, and distinctively accented voice of Heavy Duty.

Isabella tilted her head back to see the rest of her Joe team, standing in the entrance, looking over at her and Ripcord who was now, finally crawling back to his feet.

"Oh, hey guys..." Ripcord greeted as he stumbled to a standing position. "So...y'all saw that, huh?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

"Just what exactly was 'that', Ripcord?" Breaker asked as he strolled on in to the room. Duke, Heavy Duty, and Snake Eyes all followed in behind him.

"Bella here, went all demented on my ass. That's what." Ripcord answered as he brushed himself off.

Isabella rolled her eyes and shook her head from where she laid, "Way to point fingers, Rip..." she threw back.

Breaker, at once, walked on over and offered her his hand. Isabella eyed it for a second before sighing.

"Thanks..." she grumbled as she reached up and gave her his hand, unhooking her knee from the couch's arm, so that Breaker could help her to her feet.

When she stood standing again, Breaker affectionately clapped her lightly on the shoulders. "Don't mention it." he replied with a grin.

"Eh-yo!" Ripcord announced bringing both hands up in the air, palms up, " A word of advice...never use Hydrogen Peroxide on this girl." he informed, "...she loses it when you do." he added in a lowered tone.

Again, Isabella rolled her eyes but chose to remain silent.

"Hydrogen Peroxide?" Breaker repeated.

"Yeah for her cut on her head." Ripcord answered, "...I just put a small dab on her and BAM!" he exclaimed dramatically, "...she jumped at me like a ninja..."

Realizing what he had just said, Ripcord turned swiftly to face Snake Eyes who was standing less than eight feet away with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh shit...no offense to you, of course!" he swiftly added.

Snake Eyes nodded his black, masked head once; keeping his head turned at Ripcord, while his eyes flickered over to where Isabella was.

She looked flushed with her eyes were swept down so that if she were to blink, her long lashes would lightly graze the tops of her cheeks. The young woman stood with a soft pop in her left leg while her shoulders were slightly hunched over.

"She needs rest..." he softly noted to himself as he slowly crossed the floor and approached her head on.

Hearing his step, Isabella lifted her eyes back up and saw Snake Eyes in front of her; she arched a smooth eyebrow up in response when she saw his dark head move down to give her a full, once-over.

Then before she could say anything, Snake Eyes reached out and took her gently by the hand, leading her back towards the couch where he then had her take a seat.

"It's alright, Snake Eyes..." she informed him when the Black clad ninja placed his hands upon her shoulders and softly forced her to lean against the back of the couch. "I'm alright." she assured him as she put up some resistance to his touch.

The ninja's dark head tilted to the side; a gesture than meant he did not believe that.

"Hey Bella, girl..." Ripcord suddenly spoke up, diverting her attention from the black suited man before her, "How's your head feel, by the way?"

"What?" Breaker exclaimed in soft surprise; his dark head turning from Ripcord to Isabella; his eyes alight with instant concern, "Is she hurt?" he asked quickly as the Moroccan hustled on over to stand beside Snake Eyes.

Breaker drew in a soft, but noticeable gasp when his eyes landed on the red gash on Isabella's right temple. Though it had finally stopped bleeding, it still appeared to be a nasty injury to the human eye.

"Oh my god..." he breathed out.

"Now Breaker..." Isabella replied, offering him a tiny smile of assurance.

"That's what I said too!" Ripcord joined in; moving around till he stood off to the couch's side, beside the young woman while Snake Eyes and Breaker stood practically shoulder to shoulder in front.

"It looks worse than what it actually is." Isabella informed them. But her words didn't seem to stick with her two friends.

Reaching across, Breaker rested his hand upon her shoulder, "Bella..." he started, "...does your head hurt?" he asked.

"Breaker I'm..."

"...any lightheadedness?"

"Breaker..." Isabella tried again, her voice sounding slightly irritated now.

"Quick!" Breaker suddenly declared while he took his hand off his shoulder to bring it a few inches away from her nose, "...how many fingers am I holding up?"

Isabella frowned, glaring softly down at the four fingers he was waving about in her face.

"You're kidding, right?" she returned in a grumble.

"Hey, that's a good idea!" Ripcord stated approvingly before he held his own hand out in front of Isabella's line of vision.

"How many fingers now, Bella?" he asked.

Her turquoise eyes went from one hand to the other; easily adding the number up but refusing to announce it.

"Unless you want to lose those fingers..." Isabella slowly replied, her eyes flashing her sure warning, "...I suggest you get them out of my face."

At once, both men withdrew their hands.

"Well she certainly sounds alright..." Ripcord murmured, leaning close to Breaker's ear to exchange words.

Did him no good though, Isabella could still hear what was being said.

"Yeah..." Breaker agreed, "...still perhaps we should take her down to the medical wing and get her a cat scan...?"

Hands curling into fists down at her side, Isabella flew to her feet defensively; startling all three men.

"No!" she replied angrily, "No freaking cat scans, no...Hydrogen Peroxide, and if one more person even suggests that I should be taken down to Medical Wing, I'll personally send him down there on a stretcher!"

She paused to take in a swift breath; disregarding the sudden throbbing in her head that had started when her anger took over, "Look, I appreciate your concern. But I don't need that kind of attention. I was a Marine, for God's sake!" she pointed out; blinking a few times when she found her vision starting to become unfocused. "I...I'm a tough girl, who can stand her own...so please, enough with the swamp..."

A wave of dizziness washed over Isabella just then, cutting her sentence off. Reaching a hand up to her throbbing head, the young woman collapsed back down onto the couch with sigh.

"...swamping." she finished, feeling suddenly spent of all energy and strength.

Snake Eyes drew in a sharp yet silent intake of breath. Then before Breaker or Ripcord could get to her, Snake Eyes stepped forward, bending down just enough so that he could scoop Isabella up into his arms.

Her head found the crook of his neck and rested there while Snake Eyes turned about on his heel and set off across the room to take Isabella to her quarters.

"Bella?" Came a worried Breaker.

"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Ripcord asked as both her and his Moroccan friend tailed behind the Black clad ninja.

When they entered Isabella's room, immediately, Snake Eyes carried her over and gently laid her down upon her bed. Her eyes were closed now and she looked to be asleep.

"You see?" Ripcord stated as they approached the bed, "...I knew we should've taken her down to the..." Before Ripcord could finish his sentence to Breaker, Snake Eyes fixed both men with a hard stare.

Though they could not see his eyes visibly because of the visor he wore, they could still feel their intensity and that instantly shut them up.

"Then again...maybe not?" Ripcord suggested quietly while shifting nervously on his feet.

Snake Eyes shook his head softly before he began advancing on the two men; placing one hand upon a shoulder belonging to each man before the ninja swiftly ushered them out of the room.

Of course, they left with lots of verbal protesting; however neither Ripcord nor Breaker dared to stand up against Snake Eyes physically.

That'd be suicide.

When both Breaker and Ripcord had been steered out of Isabella's quarters, Snake Eyes quickly signed something over to his Moroccan comrade before he turned back inside and closed the door shut; leaving the two men gaping in the hallway.

"Damn..." Ripcord exclaimed, "...what was that all about?" he asked; puzzled by the ninja's actions.

Raising a hand up to adjust his glasses, Breaker blinked silently at the closed door in front of him as Snake Eyes' hand signs processed before he turned to Ripcord and surprised him by the tiny smile pulling at his mouth.

"He said 'He'll take care of her.'" Breaker informed; his smile widening.

Ripcord glanced around, lost by Breaker's happy expression, "...what's so funny?" he asked.

Breaker shook his head before he turned away and started back down the hallway with Ripcord following his step.

"Nothing's funny..." he answered, "...It's just so cute!"

Again, Ripcord glanced around, still confused. "_Huh_?"

Breaker chuckled before he reached a hand out and lightly clapped Ripcord across the back, "I kinda always knew that there was something going on between them."

"Something going on between **_who_**?" Ripcord asked; and then it hit him. "Ohhh..." he replied as he glanced back over his shoulder; back at a certain closed door where a young woman and a Black ninja are there together in a room.

...Alone...

* * *

Taking a knee down beside the bed, Snake Eyes silently observed the beautiful young woman lying down upon it. Her eyes were still closed, her face looked a bit too rosy for his comfort.

Reaching a gloved hand out, Snake Eyes tenderly placed it down upon Isabella's forehead.

"Hmm...just as I thought..." he spoke inside his mind as he felt her heat through his glove. "She's feverish..."

Her body has overexerted itself.

Pulling his hand back, Snake Eyes rose up from the floor and quickly made his way into Isabella's bathroom. Grabbing a clean washcloth, he ran it under some cool faucet water; then after opening up some cupboards, he found a small bottle of NyQuil which he also took before he turned and carried the damp rag and medicine back over to the bed.

Snake Eyes set the bottle of NyQuil down on the small nightstand beside the bed so he could neatly fold the damp cloth and drape it across Isabella's warm forehead.

She stirred at the contact; her eyes fluttering open in confusion before her head turned to see Snake Eyes standing above her.

"Snake?" she spoke; her voice sounding stronger than she felt. "...the heck?"

The ninja smiled behind his mask before he raised a finger up to his lips in a gesture that told her not to speak. He then turned around and went back into the bathroom for a few moments more.

Isabella heard the sink come on briefly before shutting off; and then Snake Eyes immerged, bringing with him a small glass of water.

Taking a knee once again beside the bed, the Black clad ninja held the glass out for Isabella to take.

She eyed it wearily for a second or so before she shifted softly and tried sitting up. She was able to prop herself up on her elbows before she felt Snake Eyes' free arm slide behind her lower back for extra support. The gesture was very thoughtful and she couldn't help but stare over into his masked face in wonder.

"Thank you." she murmured softly as she reached out to take the glass and bring it up to her lips.

She sipped the water slowly, in small amounts too while Snake Eyes busied himself with measuring out a dose of NyQuil.

When the Black ninja held out the small plastic cup filled with dark green liquid for her to take as well, Isabella crinkled her nose and softly shook her head.

"I'll pass..." she stated, "...that stuff tastes disgusting."

Though Snake Eyes had to agree, he still pushed for her to take the medicine by raising it up to her mouth.

She stubbornly turned her head away, "I don't need that." Isabella insisted firmly; secretly wishing that she felt as steady as her voice sounded. But truth was her head throbbed and her skin felt uncomfortably warm.

Snake Eyes sighed and shook his dark head slowly.

The black ninja shifted slightly, drawing his arm away from around the young woman's lower back only to bring his hand up and gently cup Isabella's chin to turn it back towards him.

Her heart leaped in her chest when she found herself staring back into Snake Eyes masked face; though she couldn't see his eyes, she felt their intensity and knew his resolve. Isabella's eyes flickered down to the cup of medicine he was still holding, a tiny frown tugging at her lips,

"You're not gonna budge on this, huh?" she asked him, her eyes coming back up to gaze into visor.

His mouth lifted in a tiny smile before he shook his head.

Isabella sighed, shaking her head in defeat before she brought a hand up from her side to grasp the tiny, plastic cup of dark green liquid that Snake Eyes held.

"You're impossible, Ninja-boy." she declared as she raised the cup to her lips, dropped her head back and took the full dose of medicine in one swig.

A nauseating shudder shook her body as the bittersweet, thick syrupy liquid ran down her throat. Her nose crinkled with repulse and she shook her head distastefully while she swiftly reached for the glass of water and washed the medicine down.

"Ugh..." she groaned as she drained the glass before she settled back against the pillows. "I hate that stuff..."

Snake Eyes nodded once in satisfaction, taking both cups away from Isabella to set them back down on the nightstand .

She watched him with puzzlement as the Ninja then reached for the small drawer on the stand, pulling it open before taking out a tiny pad of paper and pen.

He took a few seconds to scribble down some words which he then turned for Isabella to read.

_"You should rest now." _

Isabella frowned softly, her eyes rereading the message. "Not you too, Snake..." she grumbled, "...why is everyone babying me?" she proclaimed irritably as she let her head drop back to pillows behind her with a huffed sigh.

Once again, the notepad was in front of her face,

"_Isabella...please, rest. You need to regroup your strength."_

"What do I look like? A frail flower?"

Snake Eyes paused for a silent moment and then, he wrote down a final word.

_"...Please?" _

Isabella brought her eyes back up to his masked face, ready to pick a fight with the black ninja, but the second she found herself staring up into his visor, feeling the beseechingly way he appeared to be staring back, she just couldn't do it.

Sighing, Isabella shook her head softly, "Alright..." she answered, "...I'll take it easy." the young woman promised. "But you must swear that if something comes up, you'll keep me informed!"

Snake Eyes smiled behind his mask.

This woman was always on the job...

Nodding his head once, he reached out and lightly grasped Isabella's hand with his own before giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. The gesture was almost affectionate and it brought a new kind of heat to Isabella's cheeks.

With those words exchanged, Snake Eyes rose to his feet. Then, he turned on his heel and crossed her room; opening her bedroom door easily before closing it shut behind him.

Isabella stared after him, even after he was long gone.

That man amazed her sometimes; she couldn't deny that.

With the way he was always looking out for her, focusing on her almost every move no matter what she was doing...

...if one didn't know any better, Isabella just might think that he had something for her.

The young woman laughed softly at the thought, her face flushing even more with quiet embarrassment before she settled back on the bed comfortably, closing her eyes, "Yeah right..."

There was no way Snake Eyes could be interested in her...

...could he?

"Snake Eyes..." she breathed out softly; secretly enjoying the way his name seemed to come so naturally to her now.

But before she could ponder the thought anymore, the drowsiness of the medicine started kicking in. Unable to fight off the growing cry for rest, Isabella succumbed to her body's need and was soon fast asleep.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 26:

"_Isabella found herself in a long, empty corridor. Looking around and seeing no obvious doors, she carefully followed the hallway back as far as it would go. The passageway took her to an open door at the far end; and when Isabella stepped inside the room, her eyes locked onto a familiar black Clad ninja who stood in the room's center, waiting for her._

"_Snake Eyes?" Isabella called to him as she slowly walked over to where he stood. Whatever the reason was that told her to do it, when she was close enough to touch him, she reached a hand out and gently placed it on the left side of his masked face._

_In response, the Black Clad ninja raised his hand and covered Isabella's. _

_But the second he touched her, something happened; his form started changing, shifting becoming nothing but a shadowy silhouette._

"_Snake…" Isabella breathed out the name a final time before gasping in alarm as a new figure took his place. _

_His long, black hair hung down his neck, a breathing mask covering most of his face so only his eyes were visible as they burned into Isabella's. And in his black gloved hand, he gripped her hand that was on his cheek firm and tight; before bringing both their arms back down to their sides. _

"_You…" Isabella whispered out loud in shock. _

_The Doctor laughed lowly, "Well now, now that we have a moment alone together…"_

_Shocking Isabella with both his speed and strength, the Doctor dropped Isabella's hand only to take hold of her by the shoulders before roughly swinging her about._

_Something hit her in the back of her knees, and Isabella felt herself lose her balance only to fall right into a medical chair. Before she could respond, the Doctor had swiftly secured her in place. _

"_What?" she spoke, "No!" she cried in protest as the Doctor finished clasping her limbs down. Jerking against them proved to no avail. _

_Laughing, the Doctor stood towering above her, his little control pad already in his hands now, "Are you ready for this, my dear?" he asked as he began pushing buttons on his device._

_Hearing the distinctive sounds of a functioning machine, Isabella raised her head up as far as it would go and saw the Doctor's horrific invention begin to lower towards her once again._

"_You monster!" Isabella spat as she eyed it getting closer, its long needles coming out from hiding, ready to finally pierce into her skull. _

_The Doctor chuckled again, "Which is precisely what you are about to become, my __**lovely**__ Isabella." He replied coldheartedly, "Oh don't worry though….this'll only hurt a lot."_

_Isabella was about to shout some more profanity, but before she could, the needles rushed forward and penetrated into her head. _

_All that came out now was screaming…._

Isabella awoke with a sharp cry, her body snapping upright in bed in a panicked state before it was pulled right into something hard, bulky and warm.

At first, the young woman struggled in the new hold she had found herself in but when a well muscled arm secured itself around her lower back, keeping her close while another hand had made its way up to soothingly stroke her hair, Isabella finally glanced down to see she was being held against a broad and black covered chest.

Releasing a shaky breath, Isabella slightly pulled back, only just enough so she could stare up into the hidden face of Snake Eyes who had, at some point, taken a seat next to her on her bed.

Though she couldn't see past his visor, she had a strong hunch he was watching her with the utmost concern.

Clearing her throat before subtly licking her dry lips, Isabella shifted around, bringing her hands up to place them flat against the Ninja's muscled chest only to softly push him away, "I'm ok…." She informed him while casting her eyes downward, away from his unseen gaze, "Just a bad dream." She promised.

Though it seemed like he had hesitated, Snake Eyes released her from his hold.

Bringing her hands up, Isabella ran them back through her hair which by now had fallen completely out of its ponytail and now hung in wild waves down her back; all the while, trying to ignore Snake Eyes' apparent scrutiny.

Scooting around the Ninja, Isabella drooped her legs off the side of the bed and carefully got to her feet. Her head still throbbed a little bit, and there was some soreness throughout her body but other than that, she felt as right as rain.

Still feeling the Black Clad Ninja's eyes follow her every move, Isabella smoothly headed to the bathroom and turned on the sink, letting some cold water run for a bit before taking scoops of it and splashing it on her face.

From the bed, Snake Eyes watched Isabella with an unwavering gaze; his eyes taking in every detail about the woman in front of him. From the tiny tangles in her long hair that always looked silky to the touch, to the distinctive curve in her back as she bent over the sink.

No matter what the conditions were, this woman was constantly a sight to behold. And it seemed that no matter what she does, Snake Eyes would find himself reacting to her almost instantaneously. He just couldn't help himself; this woman had him bewitched every since he first laid eyes upon her.

Snake Eyes felt himself swallow briefly before he silently got to his feet..

The icy chill from the water helped clear Isabella's head, while leaving her feeling much more refreshed. As the water droplets ran down her cheeks and off her chin, Isabella, still slightly bent over the sink, reached out for the small hand towel that sat in the corner of the counter.

Grabbing the soft cotton material, Isabella buried her face in it; drying herself off. Then turning, with her face still hidden, she took a step or two towards the bathroom's exit before she lowered the towel from her face,

"Ok Snake fill me in; what's been…" Isabella's sentence was cut off by the gasp that slipped past her lips as she almost ran face first into Snake Eyes' chest once again as he now stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

Distracted momentarily by the rippling muscles that were well defined in his Black suit, Isabella averted her eyes for a brief second by glancing down at the towel she now held to stomach.

"Umm…so…what's been going o…?" She tried again only to have her words fade into silence as Snake Eyes took a daring step forward; leaving less than half of a foot of space between them.

The sudden racing of her heart told Isabella that the bathroom no longer seemed big enough, for the both of them at least.

"Uh…mmm…" She was stuttering now; unable to focus on anything but the closeness of Snake Eyes' body as she stared at the center of his chest.

This nearness was too much for her; it felt far too…intimate,

Unable to raise her eyes to meet his, Isabella kept her vision locked on his center mass "Snake…do you m…"

Right as she started talking again, the Black Clad Ninja reached a gloved hand out and tenderly touched her cheek before sliding it down to cup her chin.

Isabella felt her body go stiff as her face was lifted up and she found herself staring up at Snake Eyes. Her eyes had widened slightly at the shock of the Ninja's bold move; and she began feeling a blush start to stain her cheeks.

And Snake Eyes, well he was more mesmerized than ever as he stared down into the two pools of shimmering turquoise that were Isabella's eyes.

"God, she is beautiful…" he found himself thinking quietly as his eyes brushed down her face, drinking in the sight of her smooth skin, the rosy blush that only added to her apparent loveliness, her lips; full and inviting.

"And oh so soft…" Snake Eyes added as he unconsciously used his thumb to brush across her mouth; wishing that for once he didn't have his gloves on.

At his touch, Isabella's lips parted slightly and quivered softly.

"What are you doing?' she breathed out; her voice soft as a whisper.

Snake Eyes' response was another half step forward; now there were only a few inches separating them.

For the first time in her life, Isabella felt sure that her heart could not possibly be beating more violently in her chest than it was at this exact moment.

Keeping his hand beneath her chin, Snake Eyes tilted Isabella's face up a bit more to him, and the young woman found her breath suddenly caught in her throat.

Especially when Snake Eyes began leaning his dark head down towards her.

He was so very close now; Isabella could hear his breaths behind his mask, and feel the warmth that was radiating off his body into hers.

And then, their noses touched lightly.

"Snake…" Isabella began in a breathless tone; leaning down a bit further now, the Black Clad Ninja found himself hovering right over Isabella's still quivering lips.

"She's nervous…" he thought to himself; but at the same time, "…she's not pulling away."

Trapped in the moment and unable to stop herself, Isabella's eyes fluttered closed; and the second they did, was the second when she felt Snake Eye's masked lips barely touch her own.

But that moment quickly shattered when Isabella's bedroom door was unexpectedly opened.

Coming back to their senses, Snake Eyes dropped his hand away from Isabella; and in response, the young woman hopped further back into the bathroom while Snake Eyes turned around to meet the intruders.

"Yo, Bella…" voiced Ripcord. "You're awake now, right?"

Isabella was quiet for a registering moment.

"Did that seriously almost happen?" she asked herself in disbelief while raising a hand up to her mouth; letting her fingers lightly touch the place where Snake Eyes had nearly kissed.

The spot was still tingling…

Dropping her hand back to her side, Isabella quickly walked out of the bathroom to see both Ripcord and Breaker in her room; but Snake Eyes had completely disappeared.

"Bella?" Ripcord inquired again; shaking the young woman out of her thoughts,

"Yeah sorry…what was that?" she asked back turning her attention onto her dark skinned friend.

"Well you're awfully jumpy right now…you feeling ok?" he asked.

Isabella waved the comment off with a flick of a hand, "Absolutely…" she answered; though it wasn't her most convincing argument.

"Right, ok, ok…" Ripcord replied; accepting the response, or at least part of it. "So you ready to go?"

Isabella arched a smooth eyebrow up in response, "Go?" she repeated, "Where are we going?"

"To Paris!" Breaker swiftly interjected; his voice alight with a soft excitement.

"Paris?" Isabella was shocked; "And we're leaving now?"

"Yeah we have to...we've managed to track down the Baroness; she's heading back to France because her Husband works in a Particle Accelerator Laboratory. That's where she's going to be taking the warheads!" Breaker exclaimed, filling her in.

"But why would she take the Warheads…" In the middle of her question, Isabella figured the answer out for herself. "Oh my God….she's going to try and weaponize them isn't she?"

"Hence why we gotta leave noooooowww!" Ripcord answered as he made frantic come-on gestures with his hands.

"Damn it!" Isabella swore as she practically ran over to her bag of belongings and pulled out some clean clothes; "I see we're going casual today." She grumbled underneath her breath as her hands pulled out a pair of faded blue jeans, a magenta short sleeved top and a half-black zip up jacket with a pair of black boots.

Ripcord and Breaker were already wearing their Civilian clothes; which means the rest of the team would be as well.

"Why didn't someone tell me any of this?" Isabella asked as she scooped up her things and began leading the way out of her room.

"What, Snake Eyes didn't inform you?" Breaker asked.

Isabella shook her head, "No, he most certainly did not." She answered as she quickened her pace and set off for the Main Hanger.

As she sped along, Ripcord and Breaker fell behind only for a quick second, "Yo, man…" Ripcord mumbled underneath his breath, "If Zen Master wasn't in her room briefing her on our mission…then…"

Breaker shrugged a shoulder, "Who can really say when it comes to those two?"

Ripcord's face broke out into a sheepish grin, "Oh I think I can." He announced with a laugh. "Bow-chika-wow-wow."

Breaker couldn't help but chuckle at that before shaking his head, "Naw, man….I don't think so."

"Well… maybe not yet, but you wait my friend. After all, they're going to be in Paris together...that place isn't known for being the 'City of Love' for nothing…"

Breaker smiled, "Wanna make a bet then?" he asked.

"Hell yeah!" Ripcord announced.

"Ok…you go first then."

"Fine…" Ripcord answered. "…100 bucks says that something is gonna go down _**IN **_Paris with those two."

"And 100 bucks says that something will happen _**AFTER**_ Paris." Said Breaker.

Both grinning, the two men shook hands to seal their agreement. But neither of them could've known that in a way, they would both be right.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 27:

Stepping out of the small bathroom that was on the aircraft and closing the door, Isabella finished zipping her black jacket up to the spot right beneath her breasts before she began making her way back to where the rest of the Joes were sitting just a few feet away.

Realizing after a couple of steps that she hadn't zipped up her calve hugging boots, she paused for a moment, bracing a hand against the east wall before reaching down for the zipper on the sides.

At the same moment, the aircraft shook and jerked briefly with turbulence. Catching Isabella off guard, the young woman lost her balance and support before being tossed lightly into the wall,

" Shit!" she swore as she found herself tumbling forward only to be caught by her waist in mid-air by Heavy Duty's thickly muscled arm.

"Easy there, sweetheart." He stated in his heavy British accent as he righted her before drawing his arm back.

Looking down into his face, Isabella gave a tiny, apologetic smile, "Thanks…"

Hushed, amused laughter reached Isabella's ears and when she fixed her eyes upon the other Joes, she found every single one trying to hide their smiles by pretending that they didn't see anything; they did this by staring off in different directions.

Ripcord however, couldn't do it, and he openly showed his humor by laughing out loud.

Isabella frowned, her arms crossing over her chest before she walked back to her seat, sitting in between Duke and Breaker. "Something funny, Rip?" she asked.

"Actually…" her dark friend replied, "Yes!" he answered with a grin before pointing a finger. "You're a klutz!" he exclaimed in merriment.

Isabella's eyes narrowed, "I am not…" she grumbled back.

Ripcord rolled his eyes, clearly not believing her answer; a grin still visible on his face.

"Well forgive me for not having Air Legs." Isabella threw across at him as she sat back in her seat, slouching; her shoulders hunched in her obvious displeasure for Ripcord's teasing.

"What? No Air Legs, Bella?" Breaker asked in surprise as his head turned to stare over in wonder at the young woman sitting next to him.

A smooth eyebrow was arched in response, "Uh no…" she confirmed before she uncrossed her arms only to bring a lose fist over Breaker's black hair and lightly knocked on his skull, "Marine, remember?" she reminded him. "My feet were always planted on the ground…"

Breaker considered her words, his head bobbing slightly in understanding, "Ok, that makes sense." He confessed.

"So what made you go Marine, girl?" Ripcord asked abruptly, leaning forward in sudden interest.

Isabella turned her head towards Ripcord and blinked a couple times at the question, "Well…my father was a Marine Officer so…it was kind of in my blood." She answered coolly with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Yeah, ok but why go Marine…" Ripcord continued on, "When you could've gone..." he paused for a second to bring his hands up in front of him, "Air Force?" he finished while making an imaginary rainbow gesture with his hands.

Isabella snorted at the thought, "Air Force?" she repeated, "You're kidding right?" she asked back.

"Why not?"

"Because…" Isabella answered like it was a matter of fact issue, "The Air Force _goes_ to the fight….that's not what I wanted." She continued on as a tiny smile pulled at a corner of her mouth; her eyes alight with a mischievous twinkle, "….I wanted to _bring_ the fight."

"Oh hell yeah!" Duke's voice chimed in as he slung an arm around Isabella's shoulder and gave her a half-bear hug, "Dude, I love this girl." Duke stated in a brotherly manner as he released Isabella and fixed Ripcord a In-your-face look, "Told you man…the Air Force is just…"

"Is what Duke? The greatest force of all time?"

"Uh no…that would be us, actually." Breaker voiced in.

Ripcord shut up for about a second before correcting his statement, "The greatest Flying force of all time?"

"Still us…." Answered Scarlet with an amused shake of her fiery red head.

"Maaann…" Ripcord whined as he sat back in his chair defeated, "Why does everybody diss on my Air Force?"

The plane erupted with laughter from every Joe.

Well…from all but one.

After glancing around at the faces of the Joes' sitting near her, Isabella found her head being drawn towards the far back of the aircraft.

Sitting silently in a seat that was isolated from everyone else, shrouded in a hooded cloak as black as the rest of him as he diligently sharpened his katana, was Snake Eyes.

His hooded head was bowed slightly as he worked, using a sharpening stone across his blade.

"Amazing how he can be here in the same room and yet go completely unnoticed as if he wasn't…." Isabella thought to herself as her eyes lightly traced over his form.

He must've sensed her watching because his head lifted ever so slightly till Isabella assumed she was in his direct line of sight for his efforts stilled as he looked back.

Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that she had been caught staring and before she would let her face go red from slight embarrassment, Isabella bit her lip and quickly looked away.

"Oh smooth…." Her head scolded herself before shaking softly, "Shit….what am I gonna do about him?" she found herself asking but was unable to come up with an answer.

Unbeknownst to her, when Snake Eyes lowered his head back down to finish readying his weapon, his mouth turned up in a hidden smile.

Just as she was getting ready to ponder more on that Black Clad Ninja, Isabella was shaken from her thoughts when Heavy Duty began addressing the group.

"Right…" He started, "We're gonna be landing soon…our mission; retrieve the Warheads." He paused for a second to quickly glance around at all his fellow Joes. "_At all costs_." He finished.

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Now, when we reach our drop-off sight, we'll have two vehicles at our disposal. Breaker and I will run one of them; the van." Heavy Duty informed, "Duke, Ripcord, you guys are gonna be our 'runner's."

"Oooh…that sounds cool." Ripcord chimed in with a grin.

"When we get close to the Baroness, we'll get you situated in the Accelerator Suits." Heavy Duty went on, "Scarlet, Snake…you guys will be on standby in the van until needed."

"What about me?" Isabella asked; realizing that everyone had been assigned some kind of role already.

Heavy Duty's head turned at the question before he met Isabella with a slow smile stretching across his face.

"You…our newest addition…will be our second driver."

Isabella kind of liked the sound of that; the half smile that pulled at her mouth easily showed it.

After landing and getting off the plane about a half an hour later, Heavy Duty led the Joes over to the giant white Van that was waiting for them a few yards away. Throwing open the side door, Duke and Ripcord climbed in first, followed by Scarlet while Heavy Duty moved around to the Driver's seat in front.

When Snake Eyes finally climbed in, he didn't do so without first sparing Isabella a look before he slammed the door shut behind him.

"Bella…" said Breaker as he adjusted his high tech glasses, "You're over here." he informed as pointed to a sporty looking black vehicle with tinted windows that was parked just ahead of the van.

Isabella eyed the car for a couple seconds, her eyes squinting for a moment as if she was having a hard time seeing the car itself.

"Is that…." She started; her eyes widening with soft excitement, "…that Portia?"

Breaker nodded his head. "Mmhmm."

Isabella smiled, "Daaaammmnn."

The computer wiz chuckled, "Come on, I need to show you a few things."

As they reached the car, Breaker was nice enough to open the driver's side door for Bella. "In you go." He stated; practically ushering her inside.

Sliding into the nice car, Isabella sat back in the chair, "Ooh..yes…I like this a lot." She confessed as she quickly reached down and adjusted the chair to a comfortable height level and closeness for driving.

With her seated in the car, Breaker handed her a set of keys which she took and then inserted into the ignition; turning them clockwise, the car rumbled for a second before coming alive.

Hearing the smooth yet powerful sound of the engine, Isabella smiled again before she reached over her left shoulder and pulled the seatbelt across her body before snapping it in.

"Ok…do you see the screen off to your right?" Breaker asked.

Isabella glanced over to see the blackened screen that he was talking about, "Yeah, I see it."

"Hit the power button on the side." He directed.

Isabella did what she was told.

The screen glowed blue for a few seconds as it warmed up before the screen changed to what looked like a typical GPS.

"Now, you won't have to worry about messing with this…" Breaker informed, "…, my computer in the van is linked to it, so you'll receive your coordinates and routes from me, understand?"

"Yeah, roger that."

"Also…it'll show you where everyone is, where they are heading at the exact moment too; so always keep an eye on the screen." With that said, Breaker handed her what appeared to be a wireless head set. "Wear this too…it'll allow us to communicate the whole time.

Taking the device, Isabella clasped the thing behind her head, moving the ear piece to rest inside her ear, and adjusting the mouth piece to level with her lips.

"Gotcha…anything else?"

"Yeah…." Breaker answered before giving her a quick wink before stepping away from the vehicle, "Drive safe, Bella." He finished before he closed the driver's door shut.

Isabella rolled her eyes, a devious smile pulling at her lips, "We'll see."

"_**We heard that!"**_

Hearing the voices of Breaker, Heavy Duty and Scarlet at the same time in her ear piece, Isabella burst out laughing.

"Oh shit…it does work!" She said as her laughter died down before she took the steering wheel in both hands and began turning it before she placed her foot on the gas.

"So Breaker…" Isabella spoke out.

"_**Yeah?"**_

"Start guiding me to these Warheads."

There was a second's pause before a quiet 'beep' sounded off in the car and when Isabella glanced down on her screen, it displayed a map of Paris followed by the appearances of both a red and green streak.

"_**You're following green, Bella."**_

"Copy that."

Without saying another word, Isabella pressed down on the gas and drove on ahead of her team.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 28:

Cruising down the freeway, approaching the all-time glamorous city of Paris, Isabella found herself enthralled by the foreign terrain; her eyes taking in her new surroundings as they passed by.

"Man…" she spoke out, "It's a shame we're here on business…I'd love to do some sightseeing just about now…"

"_**What, have you never been to Paris, Bella?" **_

Isabella smiled softly at Breaker's question; "That's a negative." She replied.

There was a few seconds worth of pause before Breaker's sympathetic voice filled her ear again.

"_**You deprived girl…."**_

"It's ok…" She assured him, "I just now know that when I save up the money and leave, where to go for my next vacation."

"_**Can I come with?"**_

Breaker's eager voice once again made Isabella laugh out loud softly, "Sure." She answered back, "….but you're buying your own plane ticket."

"_**Guys…."**_

Heavy Duty's voice interrupted.

"_**Keep focused, please. We'll be running into some '**__old friends'__** soon."**_

Both Isabella and Breaker murmured their apologies; smiling all the while.

"_**Ok...We're about ten minutes from the Lab, Bella."**_

Isabella glanced down at her screen before rolling her eyes, seeing how she had almost twice the amount of time on her meter, "Of course you guys get the shorter route and make me take the long way around." She mumbled under her breath.

Her head piece picked up the low chuckling of Heavy Duty before Breaker's voice filled her ear.

"_**Your position's a precautionary, Bella…just in case those guys decide to give us chase, we'll have you already out and about in the area."**_

"Yeah, copy that…" she grumbled; not exactly pleased but not angry either.

Gazing out of the windshield, eyeing the city of Paris that drew closer with each passing minute, Isabella found her found herself pressing further down on the gas.

"Hey Breaker..." the young woman suddenly spoke out.

_**"What'cha need Bella?"**_

"What's the speed limit around here?" she asked; her turquoise eyes dropping briefly to check the speed meter. It read 70.

Isabella was met with a quick silent pause.

_**"Eh...65-70 for the road you're on now...but once you hit the city, 35-40."**_

"Hmmm..." the young woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Yeah I don't think so..."

_**"You don't think what, Bella?"**_

That was Heavy Duty. Isabella found a tiny smile was now pulling on her mouth.

"Oh nothing...I'm just talking to myself..." she replied in an overly sweet voice.

Another momentary pause.

_**"...You're not planning on doing something reckless are you?"**_

"Whhhaaaattt?" The young woman replied dramatically. "Reckless? Me?! Neeeevvveeerrrr."

But even as she spoke those words, Isabella couldn't stop the unseen twinkle that was lighting up her eyes as she glanced down and watched her speed meter reach 85 and climb higher still.

* * *

With the Warhead's case in hand, the Baroness along with Storm Shadow and some Vipers swept out from the large building, heading for their monstrous black vehicle.

The group was practically there when a semi-big white van turned abruptly down the main road and was coming directly at them.

"Joes..." The Baroness informed as she and her team quickly scurried into their vehicle, instantly starting up the engine and speeding off onto a second road that led away from the Laboratory.

The white van slowed to a stop, its door sliding wide open where Snake Eyes then flew out in a flash of black.

"Don't let them get away Snake!" Breaker voiced from his seat up front.

The Black Clad ninja, understanding his mission, set off in fast pursuit of the black vehicle on foot.

Duke jumped out of the van next, all suited up in his accelerator gear. "Come on Rip." he urged his friend as he took off running after the Viper vehicle.

Ripcord had just thrown on his helmet and was just about ready to leap from the van.

"Be careful with that equipment." Heavy Duty warned , pausing the handsome black man in his steps. "Each suit is worth millions of dollars."

Ripcord turned around in acknowledgement "Millions of dollars right."

But the fast turn threw his balance off and Ripcord ended up tipping out of their vehicle, landing smack dab on his back.

Every other Joe stared blankly at Ripcord as he scrambled to his feet. "It's all good. I got this."

Ripcord took one step back before he was struck by another vehicle that had been driving on the road they were on.

Kicking himself to his feet a second time, Ripcord mumbled a quick apology before he set off after Duke, running straight through the green of a tree.

"Come on Scarlet baby are you gonna get in on this or what?" Heavy Duty asked the fiery red head; his voice urgent.

A man on a motorcycle pulled up along the van.

Scarlet smiled and climbed out of the car, a bike helmet tucked under her arm.

With the last Joe dispatched, Heavy duty slammed on the gas and drove off into the city.

A beep sounded from Breaker's computer. The computer wiz glanced down on his screen, quickly adjusting the glasses on his face. "Ooo...the tracking signal is good. Don't let go of that truck Snake Eyes." he spoke into his head set.

"Hey Bella..." he added. "I'm sending you the positions of the Baroness and Storm Shadow."

_**"Copy that."**_

Isabella replied.

A similar beep came from her own monitor when the positions of Storm Shadow and the Baroness suddenly appeared on her screen along with Duke's, Ripcord's, Scarlet's and finally Snake Eyes.

Studying the screen for a few seconds, Bella found her brows furrowing softly as she noted how close Snake Eyes was to their targets.

"Damn..." she noted out loud as she made a sharp turn into the city, "Snake Eyes' is practically on top of them..."

_**"He **__is __**on top of them."**_

Came Breaker's voice.

"What?" She replied not hiding the surprise in her voice.

_**"He's riding on top of their vehicle."**_

"Ohh..." Isabella murmured softly.

_**"You better get over there Bella...Snake may need a lift."**_

Snake Eyes? The young woman found herself chewing softly on her lower lip at the thought of having to retrieve the Black Clad ninja and remain alone with him for the rest of their mission.

"...is that an order?" she replied.

_**"Move that ass of yours sweetheart!"**_

Hearing the tone of Heavy Duty's voice, the young woman swore softly before she hit the gas in compliance.

Glancing at her tracking screen every now and then, Bella skillfully swerved her way through the city traffic before she turned down a back road which allowed her more leniency with her movements as she plotted out the fastest way to intercept the Baroness's vehicle.

In under ten minutes, the young woman found herself finally closing in on the black car.

"I've got them Heavy Duty.." she informed through her headset.

_**"Bella you'll need to cause a distraction."**_

Breaker's voice answered.

"A distraction?" the young woman repeated, clearly confused. "With what? You guys didn't leave me with a lot to work with."

_**"There's a Beretta M9 in the glove compartment and a 12 gauge shotgun under your seat. Both fully loaded, take your pick."**_

Answered Heavy Duty.

"12 gauge? Nice..." Isabella murmured quietly as she took the wheel with one hand and used her other to reach over and open the small compartment where she proceeded to pull out the M9.

Bringing the gun close but keeping it pointed away, Isabella checked the safely and made sure it was on before she carefully set the gun down in her lap.

Swiftly checking her position with the Baroness' vehicle, Isabella made a sudden hard right before hitting the gas hard, gaining speed up in 90's.

"Why am I having to distract again?" Isabella asked curiously as she smoothly switched lanes, getting ready for another turn.

_**"They're trying to knock Snake Eyes off the roof of the car."**_

"Ohh...well I'm sure he can handle it." Isabella answered unaffected by the information.

_"__**Yeah but the streets of Paris can't."**_

She sighed. "Alright...I'll take care of it." she informed as she spun the wheel and made another turn coming out onto a new road. When she had steadied her ride, Isabella hit a button on the door and rolled both her side front windows down before she gripped the butt of the gun with her free hand firmly and continued on driving straight.

The Baroness' vehicle was coming towards her just as Isabella had plotted earlier. And sure enough, the Baroness was causing havoc for the city folk; using some kind of attachment on the truck's front, the black vehicle was scooping up smaller cars left and right.

Snake Eyes, Isabella noted as she drove directly at the black vehicle, was having to dodge some pretty close ones by either jumping over the flying car in mid-air or grabbing hold of it briefly as it passed over the roof before letting go and landing unscratched back on the roof.

When the Baroness was less than 50 feet away, Isabella decided to take action.

With the gun in hand, the young woman quickly flicked the safety off with her thumb before she stuck her armed limb out the open car window and took aim at the black truck.

Keeping herself steady and calm, Isabella's pointer finger curled around the trigger and pulled, firing three rounds that struck the center of the windshield of the Baroness' vehicle.

Isabella wasn't surprised in the least when the rounds left only a couple scratches behind on the glass.

"Bullet proof...how typical..." she grumbled as she drew her arm back in and placed the gun back in her lap right as she veered off to the side as she the black vehicle passed by each other heading in opposite directions now.

"Hey..." Isabella continued on, "I wasn't done with you." she finished as she jerked the wheel as far as it would go, spinning her car into a perfect 180 before slamming down on the gas and speeding off after the black vehicle.

Since she had the smaller car, it was no struggle catching back up to the Baroness.

Driving alongside the black truck now, Isabella once again picked up her gun and started shooting a few rounds at the driver's window.

* * *

Inside the black vehicle, both the Baroness and Storm Shadow looked up front.

"Who the devil is that?" the beautiful Baroness asked as she and the white clad ninja eyed the sporty vehicle that was shadowing them now. "Roll your window down." she ordered the driver.

The Driver complied.

And the second he did, he found himself barely dodging a bullet that flew right by his ear and stuck into the other side of the car.

The Baroness shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly to get a look at whoever was firing the gun. She caught a glimpse of feminine silhouette before Storm Shadow's hand came to her shoulder and pulled her back in her seat.

"I know who that is..." he informed her.

One look of his dark eyes told her what she wanted to know. "It's that Marine brat isn't it? The one McCullen and the Doctor keep talking about."

"It appears...the Joes decided to bring her along." He confirmed.

"Well...what concern is she to us? She's practically a child still..." The Baroness stated coolly as she and Storm Shadow sat back in their seats.

A shower of rounds hit the vehicle, going down its full length.

"Still...she's persistent enough." the dark haired woman added, a frown starting to tug at her mouth as she glared over at Isabella's vehicle.

Storm Shadow smiled softly. "She's also a Cobra target..." he reminded.

The Baroness looked over at the white ninja, "And I suppose you have a plan?"

"Well...I have my orders..."

* * *

Down to her final round, Isabella set her gun down, took the wheel with both hands and sped along, no longer driving alongside the black car but instead driving directly in front of it.

"Was that enough of a distraction for you?" Isabella asked into her head set.

_**"Well it stopped them from chucking cars around..."**_

Breaker's voice answered.

"Yeah about that...you know..I'm not usually pulling stunts like this myself but I'm just saying, they've sure picked a funky route for a getaway..."

Almost as if answering her own statement, Isabella quickly began dodging cars as smoothly as she could seeing how she was driving the wrong way in a one-way street.

_**"Yeah I know...they're driving right into the heaviest traffic...what kind of escape route is that?"**_

"It isn't!" Isabella swiftly threw out as she pulled her car up onto a curb to miss hitting another one.

_**"She's right...maybe they're not trying to escape..maybe they're heading somewhere."**_

Spoke Breaker.

_**"Possible targets?"**_

_**"Yes...someplace with a lot of...metal..."**_

"Metal?" Isabella repeated as her eyes automatically started scanning the city up ahead for anything that fit the bill. It didn't take much to spot it however. "Heavy...the tower..." the young woman spoke.

_**"They're going to blow it up.."**_

Confirmed Heavy Duty's voice.

_**"All units, all units..."**_

_**"Guy's we have to stop them!"**_

_**"Yeah we're on it!"**_

_**"No I mean right now...they're going to detonate one of the warheads on the Eiffel Tower."**_

"Shit..." Isabella swore before she pulled her vehicle back once again so that it was mirroring the Black Truck which suddenly turned onto a different road that would bring it closer to the famous Tower of France.

On the roof of the black vehicle, Snake Eyes, understanding now that they were running out time, pulled out his handheld and fired some shots into the ceiling. But when it proved to be fruitless, he put away his gun and whipped out his katana which he stuck deep into the metal instead.

Suddenly, a gun shot came at him from his right. And Snake Eyes found himself reaching down the side of the vehicle where Storm Shadow had stuck his arm out.

Grabbing the white ninja's arm and using his other hand to keep him secured in place, the Black clad ninja climbed down the side where the open window was where he proceeded to land a few blows against his old rival.

Storm Shadow timed his blow just right, knocking Snake Eyes under his chin, forcing him back a bit when the Baroness shouted a direct order.

"Crush him!"

The driver then pulled the vehicle harshly to the side till its whole side smashed a large truck.

Watching the scene as carefully as she could while avoiding all objects she could possibly hit, Isabella found her breath lodged briefly in her throat when she saw Snake Eyes suddenly vanish from sight once they had hit the truck on the side of the road.

"Snake Eyes..." she breathed out, feeling something deep within her knot at the thought of the Black Ninja becoming KIA.

A shadowy movement beneath the Baroness' car caught Isabella's eye. Squinting softly, the young woman made out the broad and well muscled form of Snake Eyes, clinging tightly to the underside of the vehicle.

A sigh of relief left her almost instantly.

He was ok.

Facing forward in her seat, Isabella smiled softly and shook her head. But then her eyes spotted something up ahead that instantly wiped the smile form her face.

"Oh fu..." She didn't even bother finishing the sentence before she slammed on the gas and raced onward. "You better get out of there Snake!" she warned as she left the black vehicle behind in the dust.

It was almost like he had heard her words. From his position, Snake Eyes' dark head turned at something before he carefully let himself drop off the vehicle and quietly roll away to his feet while the Baroness and Storm Shadow drove on.

For a few feet or so before a large and fast moving train came at them from the side and collided unforgivably with them, knocking the black truck into the air before it landed, burst into flames and rolled away to a stop.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 29:

Climbing from the wreckage that was their transportation, a battered Baroness and Storm Shadow immerged with the case of Warheads and a type of launcher.

Pulling out one of the live warheads, Storm Shadow connected it to his launcher before he handed the Baroness a bulky, digital pad.

"Here...take the kill switch." he told her and she quickly hooked it onto her belt before grabbing the warheads case. The two of them then ran off, still heading for the tower only this time, on foot.

They entered a large building before going separate ways. Storm Shadow took a flight of stairs on one end of the building while the Baroness took a glass elevator.

But it wasn't long after that that Duke and Ripcord showed up on scene and quickly followed after them in fast pursuit.

However, when Ripcord finally caught up with the white ninja he was just seconds late when Storm Shadow fired the live warhead out of an office window that overlooked the grand Eiffel Tower.

Tackling the ninja, they broke through a wall and landed in a kitchen where they proceeded to tussle briefly before Storm Shadow grabbed a pot full of tomato sauce which he used to blind Ripcord before smacking him in the head and running away.

The white ninja then threw himself out of a window only to catch himself on a small platform of a high powered aircraft. Pulling himself up, he stepped into the ship which then continued its way up to the roof of the building.

On the roof, Duke was still chasing the Baroness down. He almost had her when she fired a blue ray out from a gun that completely shattered the glass and knocked Duke nearly off.

Smiling triumphantly, she turned and ran to the farthest end of the roof where her aircraft sat hovering in mid air with its door wide open.

She leapt into the ship, carrying the rest of the warheads with her.

Pulling himself up, Duke, seeing the ship about to take off into the sky, quickly took his helmet off and threw it aside before he charged full speed at the aircraft as it was pulling away from the building.

When he was close enough, Duke launched himself into the air, soaring across till he too landed in the ship right behind the Baroness.

Since she was in close distance, he reached out and hit button on the kill switch that would stop the nanomites.

After hearing the kill switch announce 'disarmed', Duke looked up at the Baroness with a triumphant look of his own.

"Hmm...congratulations Duke...you just saved Paris.." she addressed sweetly.

Storm Shadow came up from behind and struck Duke hard in the head, knocking him down.

"...or at least most of it." the Baroness corrected before she turned face Storm Shadow. "Shall I set a course for base?"

"Not yet..." he answered. "...there's something I need to pick up first."

* * *

Isabella felt her phone vibrate in her front jeans pocket. Making sure the road was clear, she slowly pulled off to the side before retrieving her device. A voice message had been left.

Punching in the code to access her voicemails, Isabella brought the cell phone to her ear and listened.

**_"Hey sweetheart I'm calling from a payphone right now."_**

It was her father.

**_"Look..I had gotten word from General Hawk and heard that you were gonna be in Paris and well long story short, I'm in the area. I have to see you, honey. I have some important information that I need to give you. I'm staying at the Hyatt Regency. Come to me as soon as you can. I'm in the King's Suite."_**

When the message was over, Isabella couldn't believe it. Her father was here...in Paris. Reaching over to her little screen, Isabella punched the name of the hotel in and almost instantly was given the fastest route to it.

Starting up the car once again, Isabella turned around and drove off, following her monitor's guiding directions.

It wasn't a long drive before Isabella was pulling up at the magnificent hotel. Pulling into a parking space before shutting off the engine, Isabella unbuckled herself from her seat and opened the car door.

Stepping out of the vehicle and closing the door, Isabella quickly whipped out her phone once again and sent a brief text out to her team so they'd know her whereabouts before she slipped the phone back in her front pocket and continued on heading up to the hotel.

* * *

After watching his team get taken into custody by the French, Snake Eyes sent word back to the Pit by typing in a secret code on the little digital device that he wore around his wrist before fleeing back into the shadows.

Things had definitely not gone according to plan.

A warhead had been tested, the French are furious right now and the rest of the Joes were being contained.

"Well...not all the Joes..." he reminded himself. He had managed to slip past getting arrested with his group.

And so did _she_.

Isabella. Their youngest and most spirited new addition whose sharp wit equally matched her loveliness.

The image of her smiling face with her mischievous twinkling eyes flashed across Snake Eyes' mind. And the Black clad ninja couldn't help but wonder just where that fiery little vixen was right now.

She had vanished from the scene once the Baroness' black truck got struck by the train. And no one has seen her since.

Snake Eyes' COM. device suddenly went off. Looking down at his wrist, the black ninja read the message from the Pit that appeared on the tiny screen. It was telling him to head over to where his team was being held and wait for further instruction; General Hawk was on his way.

Sighing, Snake Eyes did what he did best. He set off on his task, slyly tracking his friends down to a large and seemingly well guarded facility on the outskirts of the city.

From his unseen spot, as he waited around for General Hawk to arrive on scene, the black ninja suddenly found himself thinking once again about Isabella and the little incident that had taken place back in her room before they had left the Pit.

He had almost kissed that woman...almost but not quite. Snake Eyes could still envision the very look on her face when he had approached her. Her wide eyes, the rosy blush that stained her cheeks when he touched her, her lips quivering ever so slightly...

It seemed to Snake Eyes, that he affected her just as much if not more as she affected him. Whether she'd admit it or not, he didn't know.

But he did know one thing.

Once his team got released from custody and this whole mess with the warheads had been taken care of, she would become his next mission.

* * *

When she finally reached the King's Suite inside the hotel, Isabella found the door propped open.

Cautiously she pushed the door open wider and stepped into the luxurious room.

"Hello?" she called out as her eyes took in breathtaking detail of the furnished room. "Father?" she tried again.

Silence was her only response.

Frowning, Isabella began searching the main room.

"Dad?" she spoke out as she walked around apricot colored room.

"I don't get it..." she noted out loud as her eyes scanned the empty room. "He said he'd be here..."

The young woman fixed her eyes briefly upon a set of double, white framed doors that sat behind a cream colored sofa almost in the center of the room; both were wide open, leading onto a nice balcony.

Seconds later, something else caught Isabella's attention once she had pulled her eyes away from the balcony's view.

A single pink rose was laying in the middle of the sofa with a black ribbon tied neatly around its stem, and tucked behind it was a little white card.

Placing one hand on her hip, Isabella stepped on forward and collected the flower and note.

_"My little Marine Brat..."_

The note said.

A smooth eyebrow rose into a gentle arch. Her father had many pet names for her...but that usually wasn't one of them.

Something cold and metal brushed Isabella's fingertips and the young woman realized that hanging off to one of the sides, was a tiny little charm. Frowning, She studied the detail for a couple moments.  
"Wait a second..." she murmured out loud, taking a few steps back in defense. "That's a..."

Before Isabella could finish her sentence, two large hands grabbed her from behind. "So...this had been a trap." the young woman quickly thought to herself.

Her head had barely just turned in time to see her white clad attacker standing behind her form before she was thrown across into a nicely polished coffee table a good five feet or so away from the sofa.

Isabella emitted a quick cry of surprise as her back struck the wood with such force that the table splintered and collapsed right under her weight.

A quiet groan of pain followed after as she willed her body to roll out of the wooden debris and climb back to her feet so that she could face her attacker head on.

It wasn't surprising to find that he stood a few feet away with his dark hair, handsome face and two slanted eyes the color of ink that were staring right into her.

Isabella's chin lifted almost defiantly as she straightened up and brushed herself off. "Storm Shadow, you bastard...you certainly know how to make an entrance." she addressed in an icy tone.

The white ninja smirked in response before taking a step closer. "Years of practice..." he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The young woman frowned, "And just what the hell do you think you're doing here?" she demanded, "I would've thought that after your little stunt show with the tower you'd be running away from the scene like a dog with his tail between his legs."

"I had some...unfinished business here. And in terms of who should be the one running right now Isabella it ought to be _you_...not me."

Her eyes narrowed ominously at the sure threat in his words, "I don't run...from anything." she replied as her body automatically took up a stealthy position, readying for a fight.

"Well then you're just going to make my job all the easier." Storm Shadow replied with a chuckle.

Words were now no longer needed and so the white ninja lunged forward.

Isabella had only a blinking second to react when Storm Shadow moved. He was acutely swift on his feet. She barely missed being grabbed again by the wide side step she took in response.

And then to counter his advances, the young woman turned and dived smoothly to the ground, performing an efficient body roll across the floor before she leapt up onto sofa.

Though Isabella was no ninja, she at least knew a few tricks or so when dealing with one. Glancing momentarily over her shoulder, she saw that Storm Shadow had recalculated his last move and was coming at her again from behind.

...Which was precisely what Isabella had anticipated.

Keeping her balance in check, the young woman faced front once again only to throw her entire weight into the back of the couch. The piece of furniture flipped backwards with mild resistance, carrying Isabella with it who then jumped off when it landed on its back.

A satisfying 'thump' followed by a grunt reach her ears and Isabella couldn't help but smirk triumphantly when she spun around and saw an enraged Storm Shadow half-hunched over the fallen sofa which had proved to be a very useful blockade.

"Not so easy, is it Storm Shadow?" the young woman asked; her mocking eyes twinkling with challenge.

The white ninja's lips drew back in a silent snarl as he slowly regained his composure and raised himself back up to his full height.

"I'll make you regret those words." he promised darkly as he reached into his long white sleeves.

Isabella's smirk faded instantly when she saw the knowing gleam of a bunch throwing stars that Storm Shadow now held in both hands.

She had forgotten about those pesky tools.

"I hate ninjas..." the young woman hissed under her breath as she began shifting her weight back and forth from foot to foot in sudden anxiety .

Without any mercy, Storm Shadow hurled both handfuls of the jagged stars.

* * *

"Wait...Monsieur..please... _s'il vous plaît_, don't touch my equipment! It is very sensitive!"

A dying electronic sound reached Breaker's ears as he watched from the inside of a large, thick plastic holding cell as his precious computer got shut down by a French guard who had been messing around with it.

"He's touching it..." Breaker mumbled in defeat as he turned around to face the rest of his team who were all sitting around the cell.

Scarlett spared him a sympathetic glance before something else caught her eyes.

"General!" she suddenly spoke in obvious surprise before she hurried over to the plastic barrier that was holding her team captive where she watched as General Hawk rolled up in a electronic chair. Back in his black hooded cloak, Snake Eyes stood behind.

The rest of the Joes lined up alongside the redheaded female.

"The French have agreed to let you all go...under one condition." The General addressed. "That none of you ever come back. **Ever**." he emphasized.

"What do you mean ever?" Breaker replied frantically, "You mean like never, ever, ever?!"

"Also..." Hawk carried on, brushing off Breaker's clear distress over the thought, "You have all been called back to your respective states...GI Joe is to return back to the Pit."

"But...what about Duke?" Ripcord asked as he fixed General Hawk with a beseeching look.

The General looked away, "Gather your things quickly." He ordered as he nodded toward one of the guards, signaling that he could release the Joes.

While his team was being released, Snake Eyes' COM. device went off with a 'beep'. The black ninja looked down on his wrist where a message had come in.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw that the message was from Isabella.

**_"Joes, after speaking with General Hawk, my father came to meet with me on behalf of some Intel that was needed to be passed on. I've gone to his hotel...the Hyatt Regency. I shouldn't be long. ~ Bella" _**

There was something odd about this message.

Almost instantly, Snake Eyes found himself reaching out and respectively tapping General Hawk on his shoulder.

The General turned around in his chair to gaze up at the black clad ninja.

"Yes Snake, what is it?" he asked.

Instead of signing out Isabella's message, Snake Eyes showed it General Hawk personally. Hawk's brows furrowed as he read through the lines, a reaction that was not a good sign in Snake Eyes' eyes.

General Hawk pulled his eyes away to look back up at the towering ninja next to him. Swirling in the General's blue eyes was a mixture of both confusion and suspicion and Snake Eyes felt a knot start twisting in his stomach.

"Snake Eyes..." The General spoke, his voice low and certain, "...I never spoke with Isabella's father."

Then something was incredibly wrong.

"Isabella..." The thought of her being in trouble sent Snake Eyes' blood racing with an urgency to get to her as quickly as possible.

The black ninja didn't even bother signing another message to the General before he spun away and swept from the room in a whisper of his black cloak.

* * *

Isabella's head fell back against the locked bedroom door she was now using as a barrier as she attempted to catch her breath.

The young woman, with her back pressed firmly against the flat door, found herself clutching her left arm tightly where she had been struck with a throwing star.

Upon being hit, she had ripped the darn thing from its place in her bicep, and now a thick flow of blood was oozing down her arm, soaking the sleeve of her mini black jacket.

But as far as her injuries went, this was the worst of it. Besides some bruising all over her body and the rips in her jeans and jacket from where throwing stars had grazed but not cut, Isabella was fine.

The sharp crack of wood sounded off by Isabella's ear and when the young woman turned her head slowly to the side to see what had made the noise, she found that a major fracture had been made in the door.

"Shit..." she swore. Storm Shadow was trying to break the door down.

When the sound came again, louder this time, harder too Isabella had no choice but to push herself off the door and move away.

Reaching into the front pocket of her jeans, the young woman pulled the bloodied throwing star that had struck her arm, out and now clutched it tightly in her hand. She had held on to it just in case she needed it.

And now it looks like she may need it.

Backing up till she felt her calves brush the foot of a rather large bed behind her, Isabella boldly faced the bedroom door and waited, her hand already up and in position to chuck the star back at its owner.

Storm Shadow must've delivered a powerful kick because he neatly knocked the door right off its hinges. But instead of letting it fall flat to the ground like Isabella had been anticipating, the white ninja had other plans.

Taking it with both hands, Storm Shadow launched the door into the air with great force and sent it flying right at Isabella.

The young woman's eyes opened wide as she saw the huge piece of wood come at her and automatically, her hands prepared themselves in defense.

"Oh fuc..!" Isabella didn't even get to finish her exclamation before the whole weight of the door struck her full in head, knocking the young woman down onto the bed with the heavy door lying on top on her body.

Isabella's vision had gone completely white as pain flashed behind her eyes. Now multiple things were hurting as it seemed her plan with the throwing star had backfired.

To defend against the door, Isabella had forgotten about the jagged star she had held in her hand...and now it seemed that same star had sliced deep into the palm of her hand.

Groaning with her eyes closed, Isabella used her knees to shift and move the door off her body before she carefully sat back up and pulled the sharp star out of her hand. Seconds later, when she opened her eyes, Storm Shadow was standing directly in front of her, his black eyes gleaming with amusement as he smugly smirked down on her form.

Filled with rage, with the star still ready to be used, Isabella drew her arm across her body and was prepared to send the damn thing flying at Storm Shadow's arrogant face.

But before she could move her arm and let the thing fly, Storm Shadow's hand shot out and caught Isabella's wrist in mid-movement.

Next thing Isabella knew, she was once again flat on her back with Storm Shadow half straddling her body as he held her captive wrist far above her head. He kept her other hand pinned by his knee as he used his weight to press it into the mattress beneath her.

Isabella's head threw back as she screamed in outrage. When her head snapped down so she could glare at the white clad ninja, she found his face already much too close for her liking and she couldn't stop the gasp that slipped past her lips.

Storm Shadow smirked as he stared into Isabella's furious turquoise eyes, "Game over."

Isabella's eyes narrowed ominously before she threw her head forward and head butted Storm Shadow right under his chin.

His dark head jerked back at the force, but it wasn't enough to completely knock him off or have him ease up on Isabella.

Still, the young woman got major satisfaction out of the split, bleeding lip that now marked his handsome face as he glared murderously down at her.

At once Storm Shadow grasped Isabella by her arms and got to his feet, pulling her up with him only to then roughly throw her face down on the wooden floor by his feet.

Before Isabella could react, Storm Shadow had both her hands behind her back and was cuffing them in place.

"Get up." he ordered once he was done securing the metal cuffs tightly around Isabella's wrists.

She gritted her teeth in anger before she slowly pulled her upper body off the ground and slowly got to a steady crouching positioning on her knee, turning all the while to face Storm Shadow who stood a couple feet away.

The white ninja made a smooth gesture with his hand, signaling that Isabella was to lead the way out of the bedroom now. "After you." he spoke with a tone that made Isabella's blood run hot with hate.

She slowly rose out of her crouch but before she could stand tall once again, the young woman performed a quick, handless switch-kick and was able to land a final blow to Storm Shadow's midsection.

"Go to hell!" she spat venomously.

He had hunched briefly from the unexpected attack but didn't need time to recover. Her move hadn't been made in terms of actually doing damage; she did it out of pure defiance.

Straightening back up to his towering height, Storm Shadow reached out and took hold of Isabella by her neck, pulling her close still she stood toe to toe with him.

"You have a relentless spirit..." he stated in a matter of fact tone as a cocky smirk tugged on his still bleeding lip. "I find it very admirable..." he added as his dark eyes traced Isabella's face. "It's a shame they plan to rid you of it..."

He didn't have to say who for Isabella to know what he was talking about.

At once, Isabella jerked back against Storm Shadows hold which in response he only tightened.

"Now none of that." he informed as he clicked his tongue in mock disapproval.

Then, dropping his hand from her neck, Storm Shadow grasped Isabella by her waist before he lifted her right off the ground of slung her over his should like she weighed little to nothing at all.

"Storm Shadow, you son of a bitch!"

Her cry of frustration filled the room as he carried his squirming young prize out into the main room and then onto the balcony.

Neither of them had to wait long before the distinctive sounds of a flying aircraft came around.

As it was brought down to hover right by the balcony's railing, the aircraft opened up as if it were greeting its two new passengers. Storm Shadow easily climbed over with Isabella on his back before stepping into the ship.

The door closed behind them with a hiss before the aircraft pulled back into the sky and flew out of sight.

* * *

The room was completely wrecked; furniture had been flipped, tables smashes, there was signs of a great struggle all throughout the room.

But no sign of Isabella herself. She was gone.

The young woman had at least given quite the fight, the evidence of that was everywhere.

The black clad ninja walked out into the center of the ruined hotel room; his movements rigid, his body tense as he was able to distinguish some blood drippings across the floor. Yes, Isabella did not go quietly.

Snake Eyes' hands flexed once before curling tightly into two large fists down at his side. "There'll be hell to pay for the unlucky bastard who laid his hands upon her." he promised as his eyes followed the small blood trail to the far side of the room where it disappeared through a busted doorway.

Tracing the trail back, Snake Eyes found himself walking into a bedroom noticing first, the door that had been taken right off its hinges lying off to the side of the bed. But what caught his eye next made him freeze momentarily in his step.

The black ninja approached the bed almost in a daze...his eyes glued to the dark, and much larger burgundy stain that was smeared across the top comforter.

" More blood..." Snake Eyes thought quietly to himself, "...Isabella..." So there was more to the blood drops than he had originally thought. She was really hurt.

When he finally managed to pull his eyes off of the blood stain, Snake Eyes' found something else that was on the bed too.

Something shiny and very familiarly shaped was lying half in the crinkled folds of the blankets.

The black ninja's breath quickened with an unspoken fury as he picked up a throwing star whose edges have been lined with blood. Snake Eyes didn't have to think twice about who was the owner of such a tool.

"Storm Shadow..."

So he was the one who took Isabella.

How typical.

But nonetheless, it was personal now.

Not wasting another second, Snake Eyes turned on his heel and left the bedroom; taking long and powerful strides till he walked right out of the hotel room and continued down the long hallway.

Sheer determination radiated off his form in catastrophic waves as his mind was filled with the image of Isabella's smiling face.

There was just no other option for him now; he was going to get her back.

By whatever means necessary.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

" I swear Storm Shadow..." Isabella angrily hissed the white ninja's name through clenched teeth, "Put me down or I'll...!" As if proving her words, the young woman, with her legs hanging down his front, drove the toe of her boot into the ninja's side.  
She felt his body stiffen at the meager attack before both his hands came up and grasped her firmly by her calves.  
"As you wish." he replied coolly.

With a powerful lift, Storm Shadow tossed Isabella right off his shoulder.

"What the..?" That was all the young woman was able to exclaim as she suddenly found herself falling head first to the floor of the aircraft. With her hands cuffed behind her back, Isabella had no way of catching herself and so she toppled mercilessly on her head.

Pain pounded behind her forehead. Closing her eyes, the young woman shifted herself till she was lying on one side with a quiet groan slipping past her lips.

"Bella?"

At the sound of her name being spoken by a familiar voice, Isabella opened her eyes. "Duke?"  
she replied before she forced herself into a sitting-up position.

Scanning the room for a moment, Isabella spotted the handsome blonde and blue eyed man sitting directly across from the Baroness, less than five feet away. Storm Shadow on the other hand stood towering right beside her.

"The hell are you doing here?" Isabella asked as she frowned softly with confusion.

"I could be asking you the same thing." her comrade replied as he carefully looked her over. "You don't look so great.."

The strawberry blonde scoffed at the comment, "I have ninja-tool to thank for that."

Despite the insult, Storm Shadow chuckled before moved to stand in front of her. "How's your head?" he asked; his dark eyes gleamed with amusement.

Tilting her head to the side as she looked up and studied Storm Shadow's features, Isabella forced a sweet smile to her face, "How's your lip?"

The boldness in her question instantly melted the humor in his face; in a flash, Storm Shadow reached out and grasped Isabella roughly by the back of her neck before hauling her to her feet.  
Without another word, he pushed the young woman in front of him and forced her to walk down towards the end of the air craft.

"Hey!" Duke shouted in protest as he jumped to his feet. "Bastard, let her go!" he demanded as was instantly wrestled back down into his seat by two Viper Soldiers.

Coming to a stop at a small, closed-off back room, the white ninja opened the door before carelessly tossing Isabella inside. "Oh don't worry she'll be alright...for now" he promised with a cold smile before he followed her into the room and closed the door shut behind him.

Isabella stood in the middle of the small room facing Storm Shadow; her legs were braced apart in a strong stance while her turquoise eyes glared fearlessly at him.  
"I don't know what you're up to Storm Shadow.." She announced, "But there's not going to be any funny business this time."  
Storm Shadow arched a dark eye brow up in return, "Oh?" he replied as he began stepping forward, "And...do you really think you could stop me if that was my intention?" Storm Shadow stopped directly in front of her.  
Isabella stared into the white ninja's ink-colored eyes silently; her strawberry blonde head shaking , "You can't scare me Storm Shadow..."she stated. To make her point, she turned her back on him and walked over to where a small metal cot was built into one of the walls before taking a seat.

She barely had time to get situated and cross her legs when Storm Shadow, who had followed her over, took her by the throat and roughly shoved her back against the wall behind her. Isabella winced as her spine met the metal barrier in an unforgiving manner. In that same moment, the white ninja had pulled forth a long knife and now held the blade against Isabella's smooth cheek.

"You sure about that?" He asked as the pressed the blade into her skin as a threat but without drawing any blood. "I've got you alone, restrained...and unarmed."

Isabella blinked at his words; she of course knew the compromising situation she was in and yet she wasn't fazed by it and instead continued watching Storm Shadow with daring eyes, "You know...if this is your idea of seducing a woman...let me just say, you fail at it." she replied in a surprisingly casual voice.

Storm Shadow's dark head dropped back as his laughter filled the small room. "My, my..." he answered, "I see that your current position hasn't affected that fiery spirit of yours."

Isabella jerked her face away from Storm Shadow's blade, "Well nothing really can..."

"Hmm..." the white ninja considered the young woman's words as he took the tip of his knife and trailed it down her jaw and then neck before stopping just at the neckline of her magenta shirt. "You sound so sure of yourself.."

Using the blade's tip, Storm Shadow tugged the neckline of Isabella's shirt down ever so slightly so that the distinctive top curves of her breasts were showing.

Isabella fixed Storm Shadow with a bitter look, "Do I need to be otherwise?"

The white ninja smirked before he withdrew his knife, " No..I have no interest for you on.._that_ level. So for now, you can relax." He assured her, "...and in the meantime.." Storm Shadow took hold of Isabella by her wounded arm.  
Then, with a swift slash of his knife, the white ninja skillfully cut through the sleeve of her black jacket, right around her bicep before completely stripping the bloodied material away and off her arm.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as she tried jerking herself out of his grasp; Storm Shadow only held on tighter as he examined his own damage. The gash left behind from where his throwing star had struck was still oozing blood and looked angry.

"Well I got you good, didn't I?" he replied before releasing Isabella. The young woman irritably huffed in response.

Reaching into one of his pants pockets, Storm Shadow pulled out a long strip of white cloth which he then proceeded to use as he carefully began wrapping Isabella's arm.

"I don't need your help.." she informed in an icy voice.

"The Doctor is going to need you to be in good health when you get back to base; I can't return you all battered up and bleeding." he replied with simplicity.

The room fell into silence as Isabella studied the white ninja with hard eyes.  
A couple long minutes went by before the young woman spoke once more; she broke the stillness with a question that has lingered in her mind for quite some time now, "How are you so different from...?" Isabella however, couldn't finish her sentence and for a second, Storm Shadow's movements froze.

"You are referring to my brother, Snake Eyes." The white ninja stated knowingly as he carried on with wrapping Isabella's wound.  
"Oh is that what you call your relationship?" she asked almost sarcastically.

Storm Shadow chuckled, "We are brothers...not by blood, but by the organization we trained under together."

Isabella sighed, "You ninjas are far too complicated to understand. With all your codes and rules...your secrecy.." the woman paused in her listing, "Everything about you guys is just so surreal."

"Isn't that a bias opinion?"

Isabella looked up at Storm Shadow with questioning eyes and a frown on her lips, "What's that suppose to mean?"

"You are many things Isabella...coy isn't one of them. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Storm Shadow answered, "There's only one other ninja you could be talking about besides myself.." the truth in his words left Isabella speechless. "So tell me...does he know?"

At the question, the young woman's lips parted with a silent gasp as she stared wide eyed up at the white ninja before her as he finished tying the bandaging off.

"Does..." Isabella shook her head in obvious confusion, "..what?"

Storm Shadow smirked, "You know.." the ninja carried on, "I couldn't believe it myself too...out of all the Joes to go for...but that look in your eyes when he saved you from my blow that day back in the pit..there's no mistaking it."

With a deeper frown, Isabella turned her head and looked away, "I think you are delusional."

"Oh really? Well then, how about the way he threw himself at you -to prevent you from being crushed by debris?" the white ninja inquired. "I saw that too...briefly of course, but nonetheless; it was quite the sight. My brother knocking you out of the way and covering your body with his own...it was very noble of him."

"What's your point?" Isabella asked irritably; it was obvious that she was not really liking where this conversation was going. "He was saving a comrade, nothing more."

"Oh I think it goes deeper than that...and I also think that you know it too." The White ninja replied with a smug smirk.

Isabella's head snapped back towards him, her mouth opened in protest but no words were able to come out.

Seeing her reaction, Storm Shadow chuckled, "That's what I thought...you care for him, don't you?"

Isabella averted her eyes and found herself swallowing quietly, her throat all of a sudden seemed too dry for her tastes. As she seethed in her seat, her hands, still cuffed behind her, flexed before curling into tight fists.

"Mmhmm..." The ninja carried on with a knowing smile, "...and uh..my brother...he returns your feelings then?"  
At the question, Isabella lashed out with a powerful kick from her leg, "Piss off!" she snapped venomously.

The white ninja easily side stepped the blow before he skillfully nudged his way between her limbs, preventing any further attack.

"That's not very nice..." he responded in a far too easygoing tone that made Isabella's blood run hot with hatred. "You very touchy when it comes to this, huh?"

Isabella's eyes narrowed ominously as she sat back against the wall, remaining silent;

"Well no matter..." The white ninja said, "It'll only be time after all..."

Isabella scoffed and shook her head, "Time?" she repeated, casting her eyes down to stare at her lap.

"Well once the Doctor get's his hands on you again, you won't have to worry about possessing such feelings ever again." He carried on as he quietly began stepping back.

At that, Isabella drew in a sharp intake of breath as her stomach knotted in dismay.

"I'll let you be for a bit...enjoy your time..." Storm Shadow informed as he turned and traced his steps back to the door, opening it before pausing momentarily in the doorway, "...while it lasts." he finished with a chuckle.

When the door closed shut behind him, Isabella eyes closed too before the young woman shifted her position till she was falling flat on her back down on the cot.

Collapsing with a sigh, her eyes swept back open to stare aimlessly at the ceiling above. Her head was filled with the truth of Storm Shadow's words.

Her time was limited; the second she's brought back to Cobra's base, it wouldn't be much longer till the Doctor finally gets what he's been wanting, to turn her into a mindless military machine...

"No more thinking for myself...or acting on impulse..." Isabella quietly murmured to herself, "No more anything..."

When that thought finally sunk in, the image of a certain black clad ninja with his rippling muscles and surprisingly gentle touch danced across her mind.  
Isabella's lips parted as she whispered his name, "Snake Eyes..."

He had been her greatest hassle, the one thing she wanted nothing to do with...

But then he tired to kiss her...

And now, he'll also be her biggest regret.

* * *

Ripcord and Heavy Duty walked speedily side by side; Scarlet and Breaker followed closely behind.

"So what about Duke? We just gonna forget about him?" Ripcord asked, "What about Isabella, huh? She's missing too."

Heavy Duty couldn't deny that at the mention of Isabella, something inside him softened; ever since she had been picked up by their team, she had grown on him a little bit.

Keeping a stoic face, Heavy Duty marched onward, leading his team over to where an aircraft was landing to pick them up. "We got our orders..." he replied in his thick British accent.

"Look man...what if it was one of your guys?" Ripcord asked persistently. Heavy Duty stopped in his tracks and turned to face the smaller black man, "Bella _is_ one of my own..." he pointed out; his voice had lowered as aggravation flashed behind his eyes.

Seeing the large man also struggling with the knowledge that Isabella had also been taken captive, Ripcord gave an exasperated sigh, "So what are you going to do?" he demanded.

Heavy Duty scowled before he turned and carried on walking away.

Meanwhile, Scarlet and Breaker who had been lagging behind came to a stop as they both huddled over one of Breaker's portable computer screens.

"That looks pretty remote...maybe a location of a base?" Scarlet suggested.

"And there's snow...that leaves us with what? A third of the Earth?" Breaker added; Scarlet nodded her red head.

"Yeah..." she said in agreement as the two went back to studying the image on the screen.

"Hmm...hey! Is that McCullen's shadow?" Breaker asked; hearing the sudden excitement in his voice, Ripcord turned on his heel and swiftly joined their group.

"What do we got?" he asked.

The fiery redhead turned and looked over at him. "Spherical Trigonometry." Scarlet answered with simplicity.

Ripcord blinked, "I must have missed that class."

Scarlet rolled her eyes and smiled, "If you know the height of the object, the length of the shadow, and the time and date of when the image was captured, you can figure out its location." she explained.

"That's why I missed that class.." Ripcord confessed.

"Ah.." Scarlet nodded knowingly, her face not showing even a hint of surprise at Ripcord's statement.

"Alright Breaker, give it to me. What do you got?" Heavy Duty asked as he finally came over and met up with the remaining of his team.

"Ok...McCullen is 180 centimeters tall...his shadow is 46 centimeters. This image had decayed 6% which means..." Breaker paused to complete his calculations, "..this image is 51 hours and 17 minutes old."

Watching the screen intently, Scarlet pointed knowingly at the image, "That's at the polar icecap." she stated.

Breaker nodded his head in agreement, "Yup."

The group of shared a look before turning to face General Hawk who was sitting in his mobile chair ten feet away. Snake Eyes, still shrouded in his black cloak stood a few feet behind him.

"What do you say, sir?" Heavy Duty asked.

"I said you all have been ordered back to the pit..." Hawk answered forcefully. Suddenly his features softened into a grin, "But I didn't say when and I didn't say what route to take." he added.

The Joes once again passed a look between each other.

Scarlet shrugged a shoulder, "Maybe...a Northern one." she suggested.

"Well then let's get moving people." Ripcord encouraged enthusiastically as he swiftly started towards the ship. Breaker quickly fell into step alongside him.

"Time to get my boy Duke and my girl Bella back." Ripcord announced as they approached General Hawk and Snake Eyes.

At Ripcord's words, Breaker saw the black Clad ninja shift in his stance as they were about to move around him.

Right as he passed by, Breaker happily clapped Snake Eyes on the back, "**_Your_** girl, Snake." the Moroccan winked behind his glasses before hurrying along to the ship.

An unseen smile pulled at his lips; Snake Eyes' liked the sound of that. "My girl..." he repeated the idea in his head as he turned on his heels and silently made his way back to the ship with Heavy Duty and Scarlet following closely behind.

* * *

When the door to the back room opened, Isabella remained lying on the cot, not even bothering to glance up to see who it was.

"Hey Bella...how you holding up?" It was Duke.

At his voice, the young woman's head turned and watched the man with his hands cuffed in front of him cross the floor to where she was.

"Hey Duke." she replied.

"Do you mind if I take a seat?" he asked. Isabella gave a soft smile before she slowly sat up and made room on the cot for the handsome man to sit beside her.

"No."

"You're awfully quiet.." he noted out loud as he studied Isabella's form.

She shrugged in response and gave a tiny laugh, "To be honest, I wasn't expecting company."

"Eh well...since we'll be reaching the base shortly, I finally convinced our hosts to give me a few minutes to check up on you." Duke answered with an affectionate nudge with his shoulder.

"How kind of them..." Isabella replied; it was then her eyes swept downwards to stare into her lap, "Duke.."

"Yeah?" the man answered as he turned his full attention on the young woman beside him.

"I know I've had my fair share of unfortunate events in my time...but I'm not gonna lie...this one will take the cake." Isabella confessed with both a nod of her head and a sigh.

Duke arched an eyebrow in response, "What do you mean?" he returned.

Isabella raised her eyes up till she was staring back into Duke's face, "I'm saying that this is the first time ever where I don't think I'm going to be making it out of this." Surprisingly, her words came out far more calmer than she was actually feeling inside.

Duke's blue eyes widened, "Whoa...wait a minute..." he shook his head, "Bella...I don't think these people are going to kill you.." he assured.

A sad smile began pulling at her lips, "They might as well be killing me."

"I don't understand.." Duke confessed; his brows were furrowing in his obvious confusion.

"And I don't expect you to." Isabella replied coolly.

The blue eyed man shook his head, not believing a word she was saying, "Our team is going to come for us, Bella...you **_know_** they will."

"I know they will..." she agreed, "...but that's not going to change the fact that my case is going to be a lost one."  
"Why do you keep talking like this?" Duke demanded in a firm, brotherly tone.

A grave look settled over Isabella's features and the young woman could no longer bear looking her comrade in the eye, "They're going to destroy me, Duke." she informed, "...not physically but in every other way. I don't know if I'll remember who I am let alone you or the rest of our team. If anything, they are going to turn me against you guys..."

"No...no that's not going to happen." Duke replied; anger was now laced into his voice. "Bella...we are going to get out of here...together. You've got to believe that, girl."

Isabella sighed and nodded her head; not in agreement but in acknowledgement of his words. "But..if I don't and you do...I need you to do something for me." She paused momentarily to turn her body so that her back faced Duke. "Can you reach down and undo the clasp on my bracelet?" she asked.

Not asking questions, though he had a few in mind, Duke did what Isabella requested and carefully released the clasp of the silver charm bracelet from her wrist.

As Duke silently held it in his hands, looking down on the piece of jewelry, observing the pink crystal rose charm hanging on it, Isabella adjusted her body's angle once more to face him.  
"When you get out of here...can you give that to Snake Eyes for me?"

Hearing the quietness in her voice, Duke looked over at Isabella and was instantly taken aback; her beautiful turquoise eyes that were usually alight with her mischievous and laughter, were dull with her apparent sadness "Snake Eyes?" he repeated softly.

Isabella nodded her head, "Mmhmm...I guess you can call it a silly token of affection." the young woman gave a brief, lifeless laugh, "..I know it's not much but...he should know, you know? "

Duke gave her a small, understanding smile, "Yeah...I feel you." his hand closed around the bracelet, "You know...I always thought there was something going on between the two of you. So did Breaker and Ripcord."

"Of course they did..." Isabella grumbled lightly; her cheeks staining themselves a rosy pink.

"Breaker's exact words one night was...'an unspoken attraction'." Duke chuckled.

Isabella's blush deepened, "Well it..it wasn't my intention." she replied almost defensively. "I mean..when I first met Snake, oh, he infuriated me beyond words. Honestly, he was all I never wanted."

Her comrade chuckled again, "But?" he encouraged her to go on.

Sighing, Isabella shook her head in defeat , "But...I don't know...he just got under my skin and...everything went downhill from there. And now..." her voice carried off.

Duke smiled knowingly while giving her another friendly nudge in her shoulder, "Now...you want him." he finished for her.

He didn't think her face could have colored more but it did, "I can't believe I'm discussing this with you..." she confessed bashfully.

"Hey you can trust me." Duke promised, "I'm not going to run my mouth or anything. Your secret is safe with me."

At least with that assurance, Isabella gave him an appreciative smile before picking back up where she had left off, "So...will you make sure to delivery that to him if the worst should occur?"

Duke nodded his head, "Of course I will..." he swore as he attentively pocketed the trinket, "...But I am telling you there won't be need." he added stubbornly, "You're going to get out of here and when you do, you can tell him so yourself."

Isabella wanted to roll her eyes and continue on disagreeing but decided against it and settled with another gentle smile, "Thank you, Duke."

A moment later, a sure sinking feeling in her stomach appeared and Isabella and Duke shared a knowing look. "Looks like we're getting ready to land." she informed. Duke nodded his head in agreement.

Footsteps appeared outside the room before the door was thrown open and Storm Shadow walked in, "Time to go."

Without giving her a chance, the white ninja walked over and took hold of Isabella by her shoulder, pulling her easily to her feet before nudging her in front of him and demanded that she walk ahead. "Move." he ordered.

As Isabella led the way out into the aircraft's main hold, she found that the few Viper Soldiers that had come along were now heavily armed and watching her every move as Storm Shadow steered her up towards the ship's exit; Duke followed closely behind with the Baroness.

Feeling the ship finally land on the ground, Isabella swallowed the little lump in her throat that had briefly appeared. "No time to show fear.." she told herself over and over again.

Suddenly, the ship's side door opened with a loud hiss and a powerful gust of bitter arctic wind blew inside and struck Isabella with its full force. Her eyes closed as the frosty winds nipped and bit through her clothes and at her skin, chilling her instantly down to the bone.

Inhaling a deep breath in through her nose, Isabella gathered her strength about her. "No fear..."

When it was time and Storm Shadow gave her the nudge forward, with her head held high, Isabella smoothly stepped off the aircraft and marched straight out into the blistering snow.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

Keeping her chin tucked and her head down, Isabella fought the hard, bitter gusts of wind as she treaded through the snow; nothing however could keep away the tremors that were begin to take hold of her. Coming up alongside her, Storm Shadow draped an arm about her shoulders, lightly directing her towards a cave entrance that had been cut into a wall of ice; in his other hand he held the warheads case.

Though she hated the closeness to the white ninja, she couldn't deny the fact that she was somewhat grateful for the extra covering on her shoulders; leather boots, ripped jeans, a cotton top and light jacket, one that only extends as far as her ribs with a missing sleeve, is not the ideal attire to wear when in arctic temperatures.

Storm Shadow must've realized that as he lengthened his stride and almost hurried her into the cave. The second she was out of the wind, Isabella released a heavy sigh of relief, watching as her hot breath misted out in front of her eyes. As she drew a breath in, her teeth began to chatter.

Leading the group, Storm Shadow with Isabella still tucked under his arm, stepped on over to another wall of ice. For a moment, the white ninja had to draw his arm back off Isabella so he could reach into his pocket and pull out a small device.

When he did, Isabella's body tremors increased tenfold that everything from her shoulders down to her legs were visibly shaking.

"Shit...it's cold..." she spoke through clenched teeth. Storm Shadow chuckled beside her as he carefully placed the warheads case on the ground.

Using the device he had taken from his pocket, the white ninja pointed it at the ice and clicked a button.

The solid ice wall that was before them, appeared to just melt away, revealing a sturdy, black quick-acting hatch. Isabella recognized the type of door as it was normally used on Naval Ships.

Licking her wind-dried lips, Isabella spared glance over her shoulder back at Duke who stood near the Baroness with two Viper Soldiers behind him. He met her gaze before his eyes flickered to something else.

Brows furrowing in confusion, Isabella traced the path of his gaze and found him locked on the warheads case that was sitting right by Storm Shadow's feet.

"Wait a second..." the young woman thought to herself, "He's not going to.."

Before she could finish her thought, Duke made a lunge for the case. Grabbing it with his cuffed hands, Duke spun about, knocking both Viper's in the head with the case before he took off running for the cave's exit.

"Duke!" Isabella called to him as she turned around and took an automatic step after him. Before she could make another move, Storm Shadow's hand grabbed the back of her jacket and flung her, facedown to the icy ground while a third Viper took up his gun and aimed it at Duke's retreating form.

"NO!" The Baroness cried, "McCullen has plans for him." she informed.

Reaching into his sleeve, Storm Shadow pulled out a single throwing star and hurled it at Duke; its jagged blade struck the man in the back of his shoulder, forcing him to drop the case and collapse to the ground.

Recovering from the blow, Duke dragged himself on his stomach and grabbed at the case once more before the Viper's caught up to him and beat him down.

"Enough!" The Baroness ordered, ceasing the Vipers' movements.

With a casual stride, Storm Shadow walked around and took the case once more into his custody before he kneeled down by Duke's head.

"And what was your plan?" he asked, "Run 3000 miles across the ice?" With his free hand, Storm Shadow reached behind Duke and pulled his metal star from his shoulder, "Stupid soldier."

Rolling onto her side with a quiet swear, Isabella tucked a leg in and hoisted her upper body off the icy floor till she was sitting on her knees. The cold had already seeped through her clothes and was searing her skin. Storm Shadow came up behind her and wrapped his free around her waist before he lifted her back to her feet and nudged her forward to the closed hatch.

"I hate you..." Isabella hissed through chattering teeth. The white ninja spared her a second's glance as a smirk pulled at a corner of his mouth.

A Viper then quickly moved past them and had the hatch opened.

"Keep moving.." he replied before he hugged Isabella close to his body, lifting her feet right off the ground before he stepped up and tossed her through the door's threshold. "Into the elevator."

"Ass!" the young woman shouted back him; Storm Shadow chuckled as he followed her inside. The Baroness and Duke and the few Vipers crowded in last before the door was sealed shut and the elevator was set in motion.

The dropping sensation as the pod descended below the ice and water, lasted for about a minute.  
When it finally came to a halt and the hatch was opened form the outside, Isabella felt her stomach once again knot with dread.

"Oh boy..." the young woman thought to herself quietly before Storm Shadow's hand firmly gripped her by the back of her neck.

"Do I need to say more or will you just cooperate?" he asked as he shoved her forward a few feet.

Gritting her teeth in anger, Isabella calmly stepped out of the elevator. Her eyes instantly came to a rest upon the form of James McCullen who stood patiently a few feet away, watching as everyone filed out.

Coming up beside her, Storm Shadow nodded down to the case he held with a smug smile, "Three left." he informed.  
"Take the Warheads to the missiles...I want them ready to launch in one hour." McCullen ordered.

"It will be done." the white ninja replied

Seeing Storm Shadow distracted with getting his next instructions, Isabella took this opportunity by slyly moving over a few steps till was standing next to Duke.

Glancing out of the corner of his eyes, Duke looked down on Isabella's smaller form before he ever so slightly leaned down close to her ear to whisper a quick message.

At his words, Isabella's eyes widened and she drew in a sharp intake of breath.

"Hey!" A Viper soldier called them out, "No talking!" Before Isabella could protest, she was grabbed from behind and shoved forward. "Walk." The Viper ordered.

"Walk where?" Isabella snapped back as she dug her heels into the metal plating floor.

"Ah...almost forgot about you." the heavy Scottish voice of McCullen stated. The young woman turned her head to see McCullen watching her with steady eyes.

"Take her to the prison hold and lock her up in cell 8...the Doctor will see to her shortly after her friend here." McCullen informed as he signaled over at Duke. The Viper nodded his head in understanding before giving a puzzled Isabella another hard push in her back.

"Move it." the Viper demanded.

Casting one last glance back at Duke, Isabella's received a tiny smile of reassurance before she was continually shoved and directed down a corridor that led her away from everyone else.

After five long minutes of walking, the hallway eventually forked and the young woman was roughly pushed left; another left turn was made shortly after till she found herself in a long and dreary looking passageway with doors lining both walls.

As they reached a fourth door on the right, the Viper stopped Isabella with a bruising grip on her arm while he used his other one to punch a code into a pad on the side, allowing the door to slide open.

"Get in." The Viper barked as he swung the young woman about and tossed her into the room.

The second she was inside, Isabella stumbled for a moment to regain her balance before she turned around to face the door, only to watch the Viper seal her shut inside.

An exasperated sigh slipped past her frowning lips, "Well that's just great."

Now she was going to have to remain here, stuck and still cuffed till the Doctor or someone else came for her.

Looking around, Isabella spotted a cot pushed against the far wall. With a heavy trudge in her step, she marched over and plopped down; stretching out on the mat as she laid down as comfortably as she could.

"This probably is not the most productive thing I could be doing at the moment." she noted out loud.

But suddenly she was struck with a thought...and it gave her an idea for a plan.

Bracing her knees up on the cot, Isabella arched her back and raised her hips. Her body curled inwardly as she strained her cuffed hands down and over her rear till the metal clasps on her wrists could slide up behind her knees.

Sucking in a deep breath of air as she tightened every muscle in her core, the young woman rolled back onto the blades of her shoulders and elevated her legs. Opening her arms up at the elbows, she formed an almost perfect circle with her limbs.

And it was just big enough to allow her flexible body to tuck and slip her legs out, one at a time, till her cuffed hands were able to reside in front of her instead of behind.

Releasing a heavy breath of air, Isabella found herself smiling in satisfaction. "And Dad thought those Yoga classes would never pay off..." she spoke as she swung her legs off the side of the mat and got back on her feet.

"Part one of plan, complete." she murmured out loud to herself; that was the easy part.

Now it's time for part two.

* * *

After dispatching from the ship, the four Joes swiftly made their advancement across the ice in a quiet motorized snowmobile.  
As they approached the Cobra's Base entryway, Scarlet took out the two Vipers standing guard at the ice cave's entrance with two efficient shots to the head, giving their team a clear way inside.

Bringing their snow pods to a quick halt, Scarlet, Ripcord, Breaker and Snake Eyes climbed out.

"Nice shooting." Ripcord announced.

"Thank you." Scarlet returned with a smile.

"Woo...we are a long way from Miami..." the handsome black man added as he stood shivering in his white camouflage suit complete with a fur lined hood.

The team of four carefully moved further into the cave.

They didn't get too far before walls of ice began to crack and the ground began trembling violently beneath their feet. The Joes quickly shared a knowing look.

"Oh no..." Ripcord swore as he and the rest of his team quickly turned around and ran back towards the entrance. "They're launching the missiles!"

They were barely fifteen feet out when he icy ground before them broke as three large missiles shot up into the sky.

Wasting no time, Snake Eyes quickly pivoted on his feet and sprinted back into the cave only to climb into one of their snow pods and drive the vehicle back outside.

Zooming past his comrades, Snake Eyes quickly took up the machine's own firing controls and shot an explosive of their own up at the closest rocket.

It met with a powerful explosion and once the smoke cleared away, there was nothing left of the missile.

Turning the pod around once again, Snake Eyes speeded his way back into the cave.

"Well that's one down." Scarlet spoke out loud from her position next to her other two teammates .

Lifting his orange goggles off his eyes, Breaker studied the remaining missiles that were soaring up into the atmosphere.

"What about the other two?" the computer wiz asked.

"Find the kill switches." Ripcord suggested as he placed a hand upon Scarlet's shoulder.

The redhead shook her head, "They're already too far out of range."

"Somebody is gonna have to get up there and shoot those things down." Breaker agreed.

"Well..." Ripcord also removed his protective goggles up from over his eyes, "...guess that's me."

Understanding what to do, the trio of Joes quickly made their way back into the ice cave; Ripcord shedding his snow gear as he moved.

Dressed now in his black protective body suit, Ripcord hurried over to a large black jet that was known as a Night Raven and quickly climbed the ladder that would take him to the ship's cockpit. Scarlet followed closely behind.

The door slid open with a hiss and Ripcord quickly hopped inside.

"This is really cool." the black man spoke as he took his seat and began getting situated.

"Yeah..but can you fly it?" Scarlet asked from her place as she stood right outside of the open cockpit.

"I can fly anything." Ripcord assured as he began turning on the jet's controls. "You just find a way to guide me to those warheads."

Scarlet found herself smiling softly, "Right...Ripcord?" The fiery redhead leaned over and quickly planted a kiss on the man's lips. "Good luck."

Ripcord smiled, "Thanks."

Scarlet nodded before she took a step back and made the move to climb down the ladder.

"Hey..." Ripcord quickly called back.

"The redhead looked back over her shoulder, "Yeah?" she asked.

"Save Duke..." he replied, "...and tell Zen Master to save Bella."

Scarlet nodded her head, "You got it..." The redhead glanced over her shoulder to spot the well built ninja helping Breaker unload some equipment from the pods, "...though I'm sure the last part is a given." she promised as she turned away and began climbing back down the ladder.

As Ripcord skillfully powered up the jet and took off into the air, Scarlet, Breaker and Snake Eyes who were all wearing harnesses, ran and jumped into the closest missile shoot and scaled the wall down into the underwater base.

When they reached the bottom, they instantly found themselves looking into an open hatch; a sealed door was on the other side, a good twenty feet or so away.

Studying the floor with knowing eyes, Breaker fixed his two comrades with a grave look.

"The floor is pressure plated and laser protected." he informed.

"Anything larger than a quarter that touches that floor gets fried." Scarlet added.

Behind his mask, a corner of Snake Eyes' mouth turned up in a smile before his visor turned from white back to its usual black color. It was his way of saying to 'leave it to him'.

* * *

Punching the access code into the keypad, the cell door slid open with a hiss, allowing the Viper Guard to step inside the small room.

"No funny business, the Doctor wants to..." The Viper's sentence was cut off as he found himself looking at what appeared to be an empty room.

"Hey what the hell?" He swore as he took a few more steps into the room and looked around.

There was no one on the cot, no one standing in either of the two back corners, "Where did she go?"

As if to answer his question, a figure quietly snuck up and hurled herself at him from behind."Wouldn't you like to know!" Isabella announced as she threw her cuffed hands over the Viper's head, allowing the chain to come around his neck before she locked her arms tight and squeezed.

Automatically, the Viper's hands came up to pry the constricting metal off. But he had no luck being that Isabella was attached to said metal in the first place.

Even as he thrashed and powerfully tried to shake Isabella off, the young woman wasn't cutting him any slack.

Tightening her choke hold on him to the point where her muscles were aching, Isabella issued a very simple order. "Drop!"

Whether it was out of obedience or not, the grunting Viper finally struggled to his knees.

Feeling his pulse stagger against her own hands, without yielding Isabella held on for a few more moments.

When it the struggle came to an end, the Viper's head fell forward, limp; his arms lifelessly dropping to his sides.

Moving quickly, Isabella freed her chained wrists from around his neck and the Viper's motionless body toppled to the floor.

Crouching down beside him, Isabella purposefully searched his person, raiding his utility belt till she found what she had been looking for.

The Viper had been carrying a set of cuffs exactly like the ones she was wearing.

"And where's there's cuffs..." Isabella finger's closed around a small ring from which dangled two keys. "Bingo."

Yanking the set of keys off the belt, the young woman went to work on inserting them into the locks on her wrists and giving them a firm twist each as she recalled Duke's final words to her before they were separated.

_"I turned the tracking beacon on the case back on...they will find us." _

The information sounded too good to be true.

The metals clasps snapped away and Isabella wasted no time throwing the cuffs to the floor while rising to her feet, but not before picking up a closed switch blade that was tucked away in a small pouch on the side of the Viper's belt.

Eyeing the body of the fallen Viper for a final time, the young woman slipped her new found weapon into the back pocket of her jeans and spun around, crossing the floor in a few lengthy strides before pausing momentarily at the open cell's door.

Taking but a second to peak her head out, looking first left, then right and finding the way clear, Isabella stepped out and immediately set off down the hallway.

"Part two was easier than I expected..." Isabella noted to herself, "...I feel like that means bad Ju-Ju is coming up..."

* * *

With a practiced balance, Snake Eyes, walking on the pads of his fingers, crossed the plated floor to the other side, stopping only when he reached the sealed door with the security panel on the side.

"Ok Snake..what you must do is rewire the laser panel..." Breaker began as he started listing off instructions.

"I don't have time for that..." the Black Clad ninja thought to himself as he easily shifted his entire weight to one arm, allowing his free hand to pull out a dagger before jamming it into the board. "I need to find Bella..."

The panel sparked for a moment before the sealed door slid open with a hiss.

"Or you can just stab it..." Breaker finished with a typical roll of his eyes.

Scarlet reached a hand up to her ear piece with a smile, "This is Scarlet...we're in." she informed.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

The metal flooring shook unexpectedly and the hallway seemed to rock. Thrown off by the sudden tremors, Isabella was lightly tossed into the wall until everything grew still once again. The young woman was about to ask herself what that could've been but the distinctive sounds of explosions coming from the outside provided their own answer.

Joes.

"Hmm..well that was fast..." she murmured knowingly as she pushed off from the wall and continued making her way down the passageway that spat her out into a crossroad. "That probably would explain why I've yet to run into anyone..they must already be occupied."

An image of Snake Eyes flashed across her mind and the young woman couldn't stop the tiny smile that was threatening to come.

Isabella took a right turn and found herself at a steep flight of metal stairs. She ascended swiftly and it was only when she reached the top that her eyes locked onto a group of fully armed Vipers that were heading her way from the opposite end of the corridor .

At once, Isabella temporarily found herself frozen in step. "Oh this is bad timing.."

"Hey!" shouted one of the Vipers that was leading the group as he spotted her form.

Looking for an easy escape, Isabella spotted a door off to the far right just five feet away and made a forward dash for it.

Not wasting any time as she passed under the doorway, she turned around and quickly found the button on the frame that activated the door, allowing it to close shut and lock.

Huffing a sigh of relief as she reached a hand up and ran it back through her long, tussled hair, Isabella did a half turn around and instantly found herself rigid when her ears picked up the distinctive sound of fast, heavy footsteps approaching.

Her head had barely turned to catch a glimpse at whoever was advancing when the butt of a large gun met in an unforgiving manner with her left temple.

Blood roared inside of her ears as Isabella, dazed from the unexpected blow, stumbled back into the wall behind her.

The blow to her head left her feeling like she was suddenly trapped in the matrix; time itself seemed to run slow even as Isabella watched a large Viper Soldier begin to corner her in.

Blinking her eyes a few times, the 23 year old quickly shook the confounding feelings off and agilely dived to the floor, passing right between the Viper's legs before she rolled to her feet and took a stand.

Exhaling a deep breath air, Isabella back away while using her peripherals to get a look at her new surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the bluish glow from a bunch of electric currents that were traveling all over a particular structure behind a pane of thick glass right beside her; it's energy humming loudly and filling the room.

Next, her turquoise eyes flickered over to the other side of the room where they landed on the forms of two operators as they sat at their station of controls, too busy with whatever they were overseeing to even pay attention to Isabella's presence in the room.

The young woman scowled softly, "This must be some kind of control room..."  
Bringing her focus back onto the Viper who was once again, inching his way towards her, Isabella slyly sneaked her hand around behind her and carefully touched the switch blade's hilt that was peeking out of her back pocket.

"I knew it..." Isabella confessed out loud as she pulled the switch blade out and snapped it open before shifting herself into a steady, fighting stance, "...bad juju right here."

The Viper laughed as he lengthened his approached, "Lost sweetheart?" he asked.

"That's one way of looking at it." she replied fearlessly as she took a careful side step.

"Allow me to lend you some _assistance _then." Without another word, the Viper lunged forward and made a grab at Isabella.

Quick on her feet, the young woman jumped back and to the side before the Viper could touch her.

"Dancing won't do you any good..." he sneered.

Isabella's eyes narrowed in anger before taking a bold step forward. Drawing a hand back and making a closed, tight fist, she took a hard swing at his center. When it landed and the man hunched over a bit, a small smile pulled at her face before she raised up the blade in her other hand and started to bring it down.  
The smile however was easily wiped away when the Viper made a comeback of his own by snatching both her closed fist and hand that held the blade in midair. It was then that he powerfully swung her about, lifting her feet off the floor before laying her out flat on the back of an unused control station.

Isabella barely had anytime to utter a cry of surprise when the Viper's elbow came down on her sternum, knocking the breath right out of her body.

Using that moment to his advantage as he still entrapped the hand that held the switch blade, the Viper twisted Isabella's wrist before manipulating her own hand to bring the knife down on herself.

As it dawned on her what was happening, Isabella put up as much resistance as she could manage as she gritted her teeth and tried to redirect the blade's point that was now hovering just centimeters above her coronary artery.

Though she hated to admit it, sometimes she forgot how strong these guys really were. The involuntary trembling of her arm as she continued keeping the blade at bay was a reminder.

"Shit..." her mind screamed as her eyes closed shut against the burning protests of her muscles, "I won't be able to hold this much longer." Even as she thought this, she could feel her strength fading, and the ominous tip of the blade prick into her neck, drawing dark stream of blood that began to trickle down.

"Oh god..." she exclaimed quietly.

The hissing sound of a door opening from the other side of the room reached Isabella's ears while briefly distracting the Viper as he looked up, all the while immensely easing up on the young woman as his head turned to see the new intruder.

Seizing the small window of opportunity, Isabella quickly drove a knee up and nailed the man right in his gut before landing a strong kick to his torso, forcing him to take a step back.

Freed from the Viper's clutch, Isabella brought a hand up to the oozing spot on her neck while she sat up, shuddering slightly at how close she had come to death just moments before .

Before she had been able to fully recover from her little tussle with the Viper, something whizzed by her head once followed by a gunshot just a second later before both operators behind her made a brief cry of surprise before falling lifeless from their chairs.

When Isabella brought her gaze back up front to where the Viper stood only feet away, she watched as a throwing star struck the Viper dead in his eye before an all too familiar figure in black who had thrown it performed a powerful, high jump kick and knocked the Viper into the glass pane behind him, shattering it instantly while he fell directly into the electric beams and perished.

Isabella was certain that her heart has stopped in her chest when her eyes landed on the rippling form of Snake Eyes as he quickly moved around to the controls and shut everything down in the room. While his back was turned, Isabella silently slid off her perch to stand on her own two feet.

Once he had finished disabling the pulsar cannon , the black clad ninja turned around and locked his gaze on the breathless young woman standing on the other side of the control stations.

Words couldn't describe the pure rage Snake Eyes had felt when his eyes took in the unexpected sight of Isabella struggling for her life in the Viper's hold. Nor can it be described what he was feeling now at this exact moment with the beautiful woman just feet away, watching him with her captivating turquoise eyes.

"Snake Eyes..." she addressed quietly, almost as if she couldn't believe he was here.

Hearing his name pass her lips, the black clad ninja straightened up before he slowly moved back around the station. Isabella turned with his movements till at last they were practically standing toe to toe.

With her head stopping right at his chest, Isabella had to lean back slightly so she could stare up into the black ninja's masked face.

Raising a gloved hand up from his side, Snake Eyes reached out and lightly caught Isabella by the chin, gently turning her head to the side so he could assess the small bleeding puncture on her neck.

Feeling his gaze both burn and caress her skin, even from behind his visor, Isabella automatically responded by catching his hand with her own before pulling it away only to have the black clad ninja intertwine his fingers with hers.

"You know we really got to stop meeting like this..." Isabella informed in an chastising manner , "...almost every time our paths cross, I'm somehow either covered with bruises or bleeding."

Even with his mask on, the young woman could see the corner of his mouth lift with a warm smile.

Straightening up, Isabella placed her free hand upon her hip which she slightly popped out, "You know, I don't see anything funny about that.." she added as a tiny frown pulled down on her lips as she took a step back.

Her eyes instantly dropped down to the hand that Snake Eyes' held and noted how he had tightened his hold on it.

Raising a smooth eyebrow, Isabella gave her hand a brief tug before raising her eyes back up to Snake Eyes' visor, "If it hasn't occurred to you yet, I've just been to hell and back...so I'm not in the mood to be teased by you, Sna..."

Before she was able to finish getting his name out, the black clad ninja gave a firm tug of his own on Isabella's hand.

Eyes wide with surprise, the young woman caught her breath as she found herself pulled right into Snake Eyes' muscled chest before he enfolded her in his arms, keeping one arm tight around her waist, hugging her close while he reached his other hand up to cradle the back of her head.

"Snake Eyes?" She spoke quietly as she felt her heart pound like a drum beneath her breast.

Though she couldn't see past his shoulders, she felt the black clad ninja's dark head lower before he rested his chin on top of her head in an almost possessive manner.

Isabella didn't words or even a notepad for her to understand Snake Eyes'; his actions alone spoke to her loud and clear.

Returning his embrace, she allowed her cheek to lightly rest over the spot on his chest where she could faintly hear and feel his heart beating along with hers. "I've missed you too..." Isabella whispered.

Right as the words left her mouth, she felt Snake Eyes' body grow stiff and tall.

Puzzled by his reaction, Isabella looked up and found that the black clad ninja was staring right over her head at something else.  
Naturally, the young woman turned slightly to see what had captured Snake Eyes' attention.

But before she was able to make out a possible target, Snake Eyes', with his arms tightly around her waist still, lifted the young woman right off her feet and swung her around till he was able to push her smaller form behind his protectively.

His movements had been swift and sharp.

She was however able to catch a brief glimpse of a white moving flash. That right there told her all she needed to know.

Placing a hand upon Snake Eye's shoulder from behind, the young woman carefully leaned out to the side so that she could see past his broad, rippling form and confirmed her thoughts.

When her eyes landed on the white masked form of Storm Shadow, she found herself not surprised by his sudden appearance.

"So sorry to interrupt." the white ninja sneered as he stepped further into the room. "I do hope though you two were able to enjoy your moment together..." he added as he came to a stop and braced his legs wide apart while he shifted into a stance, "...because it'll be the last one you ever have with each other."

Before Isabella was able to come up with a reply, a flurry of throwing stars were released into the air.

Most came from Storm Shadow, but Snake Eyes' threw some of his own in a counter attack to reflect the sharp weapons before they could slip past him and hit Isabella who was standing so close, Snake Eyes' could feel her body heat seep into his black suit from behind.

When the shower of metal stars ceased, Snake Eye's reached a hand behind him and gave Isabella a firm nudge in her stomach, a sign that told her to step away.

Sensing her compliance without having to look directly back at her, the black clad redirected his focus on the stature of his white brother whose black eyes silently mocked him for obvious consideration for Isabella.

"That woman has made you soft..." Storm Shadow declared out loud, "..._too soft_, brother. But no matter..." he continued on as he took another step forward, his dark eyes flickering over to where Isabella stood off to the side, watching the standoff between the two ninjas with her careful eyes.

Meeting her gaze, just for an instance so he could watch a frown pull softly at her lips, Storm Shadow carried on bringing his eyes back onto to Snake Eyes' visor, "When I'm finished with you...I'll deal with her myself."

The threat in Storm Shadow's words filled Snake Eyes with an unspoken fury as he fixed his hard gaze upon the man clad in white. The idea of Storm Shadow laying another finger upon his Isabella...

Over his dead body...

Not needing another word to be said, both ninjas charged full speed at one another and quickly locked themselves into a fateful match of combat.

Between punches and blocks, Snake Eyes spared a moment's glance over at Isabella before he gave his dark head a quick jerk to the side and signaled over to the open door on the far side of the room.

Her eyes quickly followed his motion and she instantly picked up what he was trying to tell her.

Without really thinking, she hurriedly made her way around the unmanned stations and crossed the room, keeping out of Snake Eyes' and Storm Shadow's path.

But as she reached the room's exit way, she halted in her steps as her ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.

Thinking fast, Isabella quickly ducked into the corner, right next to the door as two new operators ran into the room and moved behind the stations.

"The whole system is down!" one of the operators spoke as they both frantically went to work pressing buttons and throwing switches.

Seeing them completely oblivious to her presence, Isabella stepped back out only to look back at Snake Eyes who was still lethally engaged with Storm Shadow some feet away.

He obviously had felt her gaze for but a second, both he and Storm Shadow paused in their fight. As Storm Shadow looked over the operators at work, Snake Eyes' locked his unseen eyes upon Isabella's form.

With her long tousled hair falling past her breasts, she stood tall with her two fists down at her sides; her shimmering turquoise eyes that had grown wide from the fast moving events stared unwavering at him as her pink lips, which were parted slightly, drew in quick breaths of air which he could see from the swift rise and fall of her chest.

"She is conflicted..." he determined knowingly. Seeing her hesitancy in leaving him, Snake Eyes couldn't stop the tiny smile that pulled at his mouth under his mask before he gave her a secret nod of encouragement to which Isabella responded by gently chewing her lower lip.

"God, that woman..." Snake Eyes thought to himself as his gaze rapidly flickered over her luscious mouth; such an innocent move and yet so tempting. "And she should know by now that I am not a man to be tempted..."

Shaking the distracting thoughts away for the moment, Snake Eyes brought his full attention back on Storm Shadow, who by now, had lunged at him during his unawareness before he sent them both crashing through the pane of glass behind them.

Isabella gasped as she saw Snake Eyes go through the windowpane. It took every ounce of her being to not run over and try and give him some aid right then and there.

However, as she remembered the last look she had shared with him, when he had nodded his head giving her the ok to go, it was in that moment that she felt the promise behind his simple action.

_"I will find you."_

"Well...he better, damnit." She thought irritably to herself. Isabella really didn't like the idea of leaving Snake Eyes. Did the phrase 'no man gets left behind' have any meaning anymore?

At the same time, he had given her an instruction and a part of her had to trust him...she needed to trust him.

So, with a reluctant shake of her head, Isabella turned on her heel and rushed out of the room.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34:**

Isabella gripped the metal railing of the stairwell with both hands as the flooring all around her quaked and shuddered as if slammed with tremendous force; the walls suddenly groaning with creaks while the overhead lights popped and extinguished.

Looking about from her place on the center stair, the young woman found herself holding her breath, "Something's wrong..."

What had started out as a rumble was now growing into a deafening roar.

"Really wrong..." Isabella's head turned back over her shoulder, back up the metal-plated flight. "Why does that sound like..." Isabella gasped; her eyes going wide.

A wall must've collapsed.

That could be the only explanation as to why a roving mass of arctic water came surging from the top of the steep stairwell.

Turning, Isabella had just enough time to fly down a couple more steps before the powerful gushing waterfall caught up to her, sweeping her feet right out from underneath her as the flooding ocean water enveloped her in its lethal, icy grasp.

The feeling was unlike anything she had ever felt before; it was like hundreds of thousands of tiny needles were pricking into her flesh. The freezing burn of the water while it tossed her to the bottom of the stairs and shoved her face first into the closest wall, ate through everything - clothes, skin, Isabella could feel it right down to her very bones as it washed over her body.

It was a feeling she just had to get away from.

Pushing herself to her feet , Isabella broke through the ice-cold current that was still pouring in, gasping for breath though clenched teeth.

"Ah shit..." Her teeth chattered as she started hauling herself down the flooded corridor; the water was still shin deep but it seemed the further she moved, the lower the water level got as it was distributed to other hallways that branched out along the way.

The base was like a metal labyrinth and Isabella didn't quite know where she was going anymore. All she did know was that she had to get to a dry place fast and she had to keep moving so her body would remain warm.

"Well at least things can't get any worse..." the young woman thought to herself as she gave her wet head a toss to shift the dripping mess of waves that was her hair.

As if testing her words, a pipe within the wall broke, creating a large open fracture where a barricade of hot steam shot out.

Unable to skid to a stop at the sudden hindrance, Isabella acted on reflex; her eyes closing tight while her arms came up and crossed themselves protectively over her face as she ran right through it.

It took only a few seconds for her to pass through heated mist, but that moment was enough for the steam to leave its marks all over her forearms and hands.

Isabella hissed loudly in pain despite her adrenaline rush. Once she was in the clear, the young woman slowed to a stop and lowered her arms so that she could appraise the damage.

The fair skin on the back of her hands was blotched an angry red, and although her thin jacket sleeves kept her from seeing anything further than her wrists, judging by the ongoing sting she felt under her soaked clothes, Isabella assumed her arms looked just about the same.

"I just **_had_** to open my mouth..." the young woman huffed a sigh as she flexed her hands, cringing when her steam-burned skin protested, "Luck just isn't on my side right now."

She could only pray that that wasn't the case with Snake Eyes...

* * *

Staring down at the fresh cut in his white pants, Storm Shadow looked up and met his dark brother's hidden gaze. Reaching a hand up, he ripped his white mask from his face; his ruined white top followed seconds after.

"When our Master was killed...you took a vow of silence..." the white ninja spoke as he brought the two hilts of his katanas together, "Now you will die without a word." he promised as he gave a firm twist and locked his double blade in place.

Snake Eyes frowned behind his mask, widening his stance with only one thought in mind; the beautiful young woman that was waiting for him to come to her...whose spirit equally matched her charm, "I have no intention of dying today." he thought in return.

The two ninjas lunged for each other once again, their swift, expert moves of their weapons clashing with every thrust and block.

"Do you know what she said to me?" said Storm Shadow as he gave Snake Eyes a hard shove back to put some distance between them, their fight ceasing for another moment as he caught his breath.

"She?" the Black clad ninja repeated to himself. At the statement, Snake Eyes' dark head inclined to the side subtly to show that he was listening...rather intently.

"When I had her alone..." Storm Shadow added with a smirk.

Snake Eyes' hands tightened their grip on his tonfas as a silent response.

"I brought to Isabella's attention how obvious you were towards her...being so _smitten_." the white ninja sneered, "But she insisted that everything you did, didn't exceed farther than just protecting a comrade."

Snake Eyes' broad shoulders rose and fell with a deep steady breath at the information, waiting patiently for his brother to make his point.

Storm Shadow chuckled as he began circling the Black ninja, "Isabella was lying of course...I knew that wasn't what she thought; she couldn't even look me in the eyes." the white ninja paused for a moment to slyly lick his lips, "She's headstrong that way...clever too. Even I can't deny that I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her back in that hotel room."

Snake Eyes' eyes narrowed behind his visor as took a warning step towards Storm Shadow, his blood running hot with rage.

The white ninja chuckled, "I'm sure you saw the room yourself, brother...including the bedroom."

That did it.

Snake Eyes charged, using his new fury to enhance the weight and sheer strength behind his attacks.

Keeping up with his brother caused beads of perspiration to lightly coat Storm Shadow's tanned skin; all the while, the smirk of the white ninja's face didn't seem to falter.

When their weapons clashed in the 'X' position once again, Storm Shadow leaned in close, "Oh relax, brother..." he spoke, panting softly as his dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction at seeing Snake Eyes' defensiveness, "You of all people would know that she doesn't submit well..therefore it was quite the handful in just keeping her down, period."

Snake Eyes' couldn't stop the half-smile that lifted the corner of his mouth. At least on that point, Snake could actually agree with Storm Shadow. Defeat wasn't something Isabella acknowledged, no matter the situation, she always sought a way to come out on top.

It was one of the things he greatly admired about her.

Storm Shadow carried on, " So be at ease..._I didn't touch her_." he promised, "...well at least not in the way you're thinking." he corrected.

Snake Eyes jerked his dark head forward, and head butted his brother who took a stumbling step back. "But you still **_touched_** her." his mind screamed, recalling the blood stain on the bed comforter. That alone gave him every reason to be furious.

Shaking it off, the white ninja twirled his double-sided katana with skilled hands, quickly putting up his defenses and landed a couple strikes along Snake Eye's back. "I know you came here to save her...too bad you won't be able to."

Seeing his brother freeze for a second as he recovered, Storm Shadow wasted no time in trying to put Snake Eyes in a corner by making a lunge that allowed him to bear down with all his might on one side of his bladed weapon.

Snake Eyes was fast enough to block the almost-deadly blow and responded by pushing Storm Shadow back.

"When this is over..." the White ninja spoke through gritted teeth, "...and you're dead...she will become my next priority." he informed, " Cobra still has plans for her, after all. And with her many talents and skills, I myself may even have a use for Isabella..."

Gritting his teeth, Snake Eyes shook his head and retaliated, ducking as Storm Shadow blade took a swipe at his form before the Black clad ninja spun around at great speed and used the blades of his tonfas to slice across both of Storm Shadow's knee caps, forming deep bloody gashes. "No..." he thought to himself.

A look of surprise flashed across Storm Shadow's features as he stumbled in his stance.

It was Snake Eyes' turn to twirl his weapon, only he did this as a sign of challenge. "You took our Master away..." his unspoken words continued filling his mind.

Frowning as he began to let his growing resentment get the better of him, Storm Shadow sprung forward, his weapon raised high.

Dodging the attack, Snake Eyes responded with a powerful kick in which he broke the attaching hilts of Storm Shadow's katanas.

By doing so, Storm Shadow's defenses were breeched, allowing the black ninja to land not one but two punches at his brother's center before he leapt into the air and executed a perfect spinning switch kick to the chest.  
Faltering back, Storm Shadow had little time to react before Snake Eyes' tonfas pierced their blades into his chest.

As Snake Eyes' stared unwavering at Storm Shadow, his chest rising and falling with his breaths, he hoped that his brother was able to pick up his last hidden message. "But you will not take her from me...Isabella is mine."

The white ninja's dark eyes grew wide, his face looked stunned as he stared right back at his brother. Clearly, he had not been expecting this sudden power behind Snake Eyes' moves.

Could it be because of that woman that Snake Eyes had grown nearly invincible just now?

Reaching up as he gasped for breath, Storm Shadow pulled the blades out of his chest. Whether he understood the message or not, the defeated white ninja fell back off the platform; his body plummeting down till it broke through the thin layer of ice and sunk beneath the deep blue icy water.

Watching his brother finally disappear from sight, Snake Eyes found himself dropping to one knee; heavy breaths of air could be heard from behind his mask.

It was over...it was finally done.

Suddenly, Snake Eyes' dark head lifted with remembrance, "No its not..." he reminded himself. "Isabella."

She was still expecting him.

Gathering his things quickly, he slid his sharp weapons back into their sheaths. Then, without wasting another minute, Snake Eyes made his way back up through the busted window and quickly took off, running right out of the damaged control room.

* * *

Sprinting down the corridor didn't seem to do a lot in keeping her body temperature high now that fresh sea water was coming down from the ceilings as it was coming out of the walls, Isabella thought grimly to herself as she made a sharp right, nearly skidding into the wall as she went.

Her clothes were soaked all the through, her joints were growing stiff, her skin was burning from the cold...

"God...when will this come to an end?"  
At least the passageway was beginning to look familiar despite the sparking overhead and the constant downpour of water from almost every possible angle.

Looking ahead, Isabella could see the water-tight hatch that would led to an elevator just another 20 feet away.

Willing herself to quicken her speed even though she was beginning to lose feeling throughout her body, Isabella drew closer to the spot where it would spit her out into the open room by the hatch but was brought to a sudden halt when a large force slammed into her from the side.

Knocked right off her feet, Isabella's body flipped till she landed hard on her side and rolled into the wall next to her. Surprisingly, she didn't feel as much pain as she expected, but she guessed that was because her body was so far numb, it was unable to really feel anything now.

Releasing a soft groan, followed by a swear, Isabella forced herself up on her trembling legs, using the wall for extra support, "Son of a bitch..." the young woman looked around and instantly spotted her interference just feet away.

Snake Eyes, wielding his katana, found himself engaged with a pair of Vipers; cutting them both down with a single, long stroke.

"Snake..." Isabella addressed, her was tone low, nearly chastising, "...you're such a sh..show-off." God, she felt so cold now...

Hearing the woman's voice, Snake Eye's dark head turned to see Isabella leaning on the wall, watching him.

His mouth turned up in smile that she could see behind his mask.

"Snake!" cried another voice. Both Isabella and Snake Eyes turned their heads to see two more familiar faces awaiting at the elevator hatch. Scarlet and Breaker.

Understanding the tone of voice, Snake reached out and grasped Isabella firmly by her hand, not taking notice of the burns and tugged her along after him as he sprinted for their only way out.

Isabella wasn't sure how she managed to keep up with him, her legs weren't responding they way they are suppose to but somehow with him leading the way, they were able to reach their comrades in time.

"Hey Scarlet." Isabella greeted briefly as she was hustled inside the elevator by Snake Eyes.

"Bella?" Scarlet's redhead followed the younger woman as she and Breaker swiftly filed inside after her and the black clad ninja.

There was no mistaking it once everyone was together. She was soaked to the bone, her jeans ripped and jacket torn, her long hair dripping with many loose strands clinging to her neck and cheek but her face was clearly identifiable; especially with her leaning in the corner alongside Snake Eyes holding hands. "Oh my God...Bella!" Scarlet actually sounded excited to see her for once.

"Bella, you're alright!" Cried Breaker as he sealed the hatch door shut.

They had finally located their last missing Joe.

Hearing the concern and relief in her fellow Joe's voices, Isabella found herself smiling softly, "M..mm...more or less." she delicately stuttered; biting her tongue to keep her jaw from chattering too loudly as the elevator began making its ascension up to the surface.

"Thank God.." Breaker breathed a sigh of relief.

Isabella laughed for a instant, "Save your thanks for whoever later, Breaker...we're not out of this yet."

She still had to make it through the below-freezing temperatures of the surface while soaking wet; a combination that was bound to cause problems, fast.

About a minute later, the elevator finally reached the surface and Breaker had the door opened almost immediately before he and Scarlet led the way out.

With her hand still in his, Snake Eyes followed in pursuit, quickly stepping out of the elevator before he set the pace at a fast run towards their snow mobiles.

Isabella however couldn't keep up with him, her feet started lagging the second she had left the elevator.

Without any hesitating, the black ninja stopped and scooped the young woman up into his arms, carrying her the rest of the way as if she weighed nothing at all.

Coming up to the nearest pod with Breaker already seated in the front, Snake Eyes took care in setting Isabella securely inside before he quickly put the top down and gave Breaker the signal to get going.

"Let's get out of here, Bella." Breaker encouraged as he floored the gas pedal and speed off out of the ice cave.

Sitting behind him, Isabella curled her legs in to her body, her arms coming around her middle as she desperately tried blocking out the blistering temperatures that were engulfing her body still, "So cold..." she murmured out loud; her form trembled violently now as her wet hair instantly froze with frost.

And why did her head feel so heavy now? Her eyes too...

After a couple more minutes, the tremors began easing up..and Isabella strangely felt her body grow warm and feel heavy all over now. Isabella tried opening her mouth to say something, but the young woman couldn't even do that. She felt..tired; so very tired.

Unable to help herself, Isabella succumbed to the darkness.

* * *

Driving up the ramp that took them inside the large sub, Breaker and Scarlet slow the vehicles to a halt once they were all safely inside.

Scarlet and Snake climbed out of their snow mobile first, Breaker was the next one to follow out.

"We did it." Breaker said with a smile as he gave Scarlet a quick hug before he and Snake turned to each other and quickly shook hands on a job well-done.

"We always do." Scarlet agreed with a bright smile of her own before she went over and also shared a quick embrace with the black clad ninja.

"Hey Bella... why so silent?" Breaker addressed with a laugh and soft shake of his dark head as he moved back around to his pod and peaked his head inside. "Bella?" he spoke again.

Stepping away from the black ninja, Scarlet gave her close friend a teasing smile, "I knew you of all people would find her first..." she told him in a hushed voice, "...something about the two of you just works really well together."

Snake Eyes found himself smiling beneath his mask as he nodded once in agreement.

"Guys..." came Breaker's accented voice from his place by the snow pod; his tone was lined with panic, "Something's wrong...Isabella won't wake up!"


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35:**

_"Isabella's not waking up!"  
_

His heart nearly stopped right in his chest at the words.

Snake Eyes couldn't believe it and was at Breaker's side in an instant, trying to catch a glimpse of the young woman himself. Scarlet stood off to the side, her eyes observing silently.

The Moroccan was in the middle of gathering Isabella's form in his arms when he felt the presence of his black clad friend beside him. Once he had the young woman secured, Breaker turned about carefully and held her out for Snake Eyes to take.

"Here ."

Snake Eyes quickly moved in, his muscled arms opening wide to receive Isabella before he slid one hand behind her knees while his other came about her waist. Taking her easily, the black ninja cradled the woman's still body close to his chest and allowed his hidden gaze to freely wander over her.

His poor Isabella...

Her lovely eyes, bordered with dark lashes, were closed . Messy, frost-tipped strawberry blonde hair hung in rigid strands, framing her face which looked incredibly pale, and only heightened her now blue-tinted lips.

Shifting her over to one arm, Snake Eyes used his free hand to brush across her cheek before he lowered it down to find the pulsing spot on her neck; thanking God for the faint flutter of life that still moved beneath his fingers. "Oh Isabella..." he thought to himself as his arms clutched her tighter, "...what has happened to you?"

How could such a spirited woman who was always aglow with her vivacity, suddenly be reduced to this delicate shape?

Breaker and Scarlet shared a knowing glance, "Hypothermia..." they announced simultaneously. The computer whiz got to his feet once again only to turn and take off running, "I'm getting a first-aid kit."

Scarlet stepped up beside Snake Eyes, "Make sure it has an IV!" she called after him. Turning her attention on the unconscious woman in the ninja's arms, she reached a hand out and touched the sleeve of Isabella's jacket. It felt icy and stiff.

Drawing in a sharp breath, the redhead pulled away, "She must've been soaked to the bone for a while I'm guessing...it's no wonder that hypothermia had set in so swiftly the second she stepped outside. Isabella had probably been fighting it off long before she met up with us."

Spinning away, Scarlet swiftly followed Breaker's path, "Snake, let's take her to a back room. We've _**got**_ to get her warm."

He didn't have to be told twice. In a couple of long strides and without taking his gaze off Isabella even for a second, Snake Eyes caught up to the redhead who led the way out of the holding room.

Moments a later, they immediately succeeded in locating a small quarters off to the left.

"This should be sufficient." the redhead spoke as she promptly opened the door. Holding it open, Scarlet ushered Snake Eyes inside first before following right after.

The room was nearly bare minus the few supply boxes stacked in the back corner. "Damn...I thought there'd be something we could put her on..." Scarlet mumbled irritably.

A second passed before the door swung back open, letting Breaker jog inside. In his arms he carried a rather large stack of materials. "I've got the kit!" he announced, signaling to the neon orange box that sat on top, "And.." he went on, ".. I grabbed some old thermal blankets too."

Scarlet immediately perked up, "That'll work." Wasting no time, the redhead snatched the stack of blankets from Breaker, grabbing the first one and shaking it out once before unfolding it and neatly laying it out on the ground.

Looking up at Snake Eyes who stood towering above her squatting form, Scarlet gave him a nod, "Put her here, Snake."

With great reluctance, the tall and well-built ninja dropped to his knees beside the blanket and gently placed Isabella down. With a sigh, he turned his dark head to look over at Scarlet who was positioned directly across from him.

"Breaker prepare the IV..." Scarlet announced, sparing a glance back over her shoulder. Breaker already had the kit open and was pulling out a tangled cord.

"I'm on it." he answered.

Looking back at Snake Eyes, the redhead watched as he reached a gloved hand out and tucked some strands of hair behind Isabella's ear, taking note of his attentiveness as he kneeled beside their comrade. It was a sight in which Scarlet couldn't do anything but smile softly before she cast a glance down on Isabella's form.

Who would've thought that this young woman who they had originally met during such disagreeable circumstances, would have their black clad ninja utterly infatuated.

Scarlet has known Snake for a while, after all. And though they've had their moments of affection between each other in the past, it was never able to compare to the obvious attraction that flew between him and Isabella. They had a chemistry like what flame has with gun powder.

It's a dangerous combination...but that's probably why they fit each other so well, Scarlet mused.

"It's alright Snake..." she reassured him, drawing his attention back towards her, "She'll be ok..."

Snake Eyes nodded his dark head in return.

"Ok...now Breaker, give me the scissors from the kit." she ordered as she extended a hand up. When she felt the tool get placed in her open hand, Scarlet immediately went to work.

Starting with the sleeves of Isabella's jacket, Scarlet began cutting the material away till the jacket was in ruins beside its owner. Then bringing the cutters up to the scooping neckline of Isabella's magenta top, she started snipping down the unconscious woman's front.

When a glimpse of a lacey black bra was revealed, Scarlet paused for a moment, remembering there were men in the room and cleared her throat, "Uh...guys.." she addressed calmly. "Her clothes need to come off..._all of them_."

This was one of those moments when Snake Eyes found himself grateful for wearing his mask and visor as he felt his eyes widen as a burning heat ignited inside him. Flying to his feet, Snake Eyes moved around the blanket and came up alongside Breaker before he placed a hand on the smaller man's shoulder and turned them both about so that they faced away from Scarlet and Isabella.

Scarlet smiled again as she quickly picked up where she had left off. "Aww...so bashful, Snake." she teased while Breaker chuckled.

Snake Eyes rolled his eyes while his arms came up and crossed themselves over his chest in response Bashful is a poor word to describe him; he wasn't bashful at all. He just knew that if Isabella ever found out that he had seen her in her delicates or what's even more, naked, chances are that she'd be extremely displeased.

Plus...the sight of her glorious female body would no doubt haunt his thoughts for a very long time.

It took a few minutes for her to cut the jeans away, but like the jacket and shirt, they wound up in a pile of scraps. Sitting back on her heels, Scarlet put down the scissors and picked up the remaining blankets which she then used to cover up Isabella's indecency.

"Alright...she's good." Scarlet informed.

Snake Eyes sighed quietly before he moved back over and took a seat

"Good..." agreed Breaker as he pivoted around and stepped over to where Scarlet kneeled beside Isabella. "...but we have a problem."

"What's that?"

"We don't have a stand for the IV..."

Scarlet groaned while reaching a hand up to cover her eyes, "Of course we don't." she swore quietly.

Breaker placed a hand upon her shoulder, "I don't think we'll need one right now though."

Scarlet turned her head up and looked the computer whiz in the eye, "We are thousands of miles away from the Pit...if we had been able to get an IV in her now, we'd be able to easily raise her body temperature out this critical level."

"This is true..." Breaker agreed with a slight nod, "...but an IV isn't the only way to quickly raise her temperature."

It took only a second before Scarlet's eyes widened with recognition as she stared up into the Moroccan's face. Breaker smirked in response.

"Body heat." they agreed in unison; in a slow turn of heads, both Scarlet and Breaker fixed their eyes upon Snake Eyes who was just feet away.

The black ninja was already staring back, his eyes going from one to the other. Did they really mean for him to...

"Snake..."

They did.

"It's the only way to warm her up fast enough." Scarlet pushed.

He hesitated for a moment, taking a long minute to look down at pale Isabella's face. This wasn't how he imagined lying with Isabella for the first time...but...

"She needs me..." Snake Eyes' thought to himself. With that in mind, the muscular man reached behind him and removed the sheathed katana upon his back before proceeding down to swiftly unlace his heavy, black boots.

Setting them off to the side, his gloved hands found the hidden zipper on the side of his black body suit just underneath his arm and pulled down.

With the fitted top now loose, Snake Eyes tugged the material up and over his head before discarding it on top of his other possessions, his gloves followed after all the while keeping his mask and visor on.

Dressed now in just his black pants and a simple black muscle shirt, Snake Eyes inched forward and stretched out on the blanket beside Isabella, lying on his side; his bare hand hold of the blanket's corner that was draped over Isabella's body.

Lifting the thick, itchy dark grey wool just a few inches so that the young woman's naked shoulder peaked out, he slid his hand underneath, drawing in a sharp breath of air when his seemingly hot hand met her chilled flesh.

Taking care, Snake Eyes scooped his arm underneath her neck till her head rested comfortably in the crook of his elbow. Then keeping his eyes locked on her face, he used his other hand to raise the blanket once more, higher this time so that he could slip underneath.

Once he had the blanket draped securely over himself, Snake Eyes reached for Isabella, his hand grazing over a round hip which he found was not completely as bare as he thought considering his fingers brushed across cool lace before resting on top of her flat stomach. He shifted her slightly, turning her on her side so that he could fully settle himself behind her, creating a snug cocoon with his much larger build.

Snake Eyes' body felt like it could've been on fire compared to how chilly Isabella felt in his arms. But even when her chill began seeping into him, the man without so much as a shudder, held on tighter to the young woman and made sure he was pressing as much of himself as he could into her as he willed his body to pour his heat into her frame and share his abundance of warmth; not even caring the slightest as he lost track of time.

Hours flew by, feeling like mere minutes as he remained lying alongside her; both Breaker and Scarlet had long since left the room quietly, leaving them completely alone.

With a quiet sigh, Snake Eyes leaned his head down and nuzzled his masked face into the gentle curve of Isabella's neck. Hearing her breaths come more even now, deeper too, the black ninja found himself perfectly content in just listening to the faint sounds as his hidden eyes roamed freely across her sleeping form.

Her body had warmed enough that color was starting to return to her skin.

"Another good sign..." Snake Eyes noted to himself as he allowed his eyes to close for a moment as he continued to relish the wonderful sensation of having this woman's body against his.

Suddenly, Isabella gently shifted for the first time in her position lying on her side; it was a very slight movement, but the little wiggle was enough for Snake Eyes as his eyes snapped back open. "Bella?"

Being careful as he propped himself up on his elbow, Snake Eyes stared down into her face; her eyes were still closed, her face relaxed.

She was still asleep.

Smiling to himself, Snake Eyes reached a hand out and tenderly brushed his knuckles down her soft cheek.

The light touch stirred the woman again; her brows furrowed and lips, which were no longer blue, pursed for a second as she moved herself from her side to her back before falling still once more.

Shaking his head softly with amusement, Snake Eyes found himself reaching a hand up to the base of his neck where his fingers found themselves slipping beneath the ends of his mask before he tugged the black material up.

"That reminds me..."

When the mask came off, he tossed it aside without a second glance before he moved in, his towering build leaning over Isabella's form.

Tucking a hand beneath her head, Snake Eyes lifted her up ever so slightly. The young woman's lips parted gently as she drew in another steady breath.

God, she was so lovely.

His eyes took in everything from her face to the succulent looking pair of pink lips that were holding his attention, "And this time...no interruptions."

Dipping his head down, Snake Eyes felt Isabella's breath against his face for but a moment before the black ninja finally claimed her mouth in a sweet kiss.

* * *

In a dreamy haze, Isabella grew aware of the pair of soft, warm lips that were coaxing her own in such a magnificent manner. She couldn't recall a time of ever being kissed quite like this. It was tender...yet possessive.

Willing herself, the young woman opened her eyes which still felt far too heavy for her liking and caught sight of a man's silhouette hovering above her.

He had a strong jawline and blurry chiseled features with light bronzed skin. Golden brown hair sat on his head; it was sharply trimmed in a military fashion that Isabella was accustomed to seeing on her Marines. But this wasn't a Marine she knew...or any man for that matter.

She would've remembered a man like this...

Could she be dreaming?

...or was she dead?

Isabella wiggled her fingers down at her side. "I feel real enough." she spoke inside her mind. Though she had to admit something about her did feel incredibly different.

And lord knows, he felt real too. She couldn't stop feeling because of him.

Sensing her scrutiny, the man finally pulled away taking his lips back as he opened his eyes and met Isabella's weary gaze.

Oh my...

Isabella felt all the breath leave her body as she found herself staring into two deep pools of rich blue.

She had never seen these eyes before...but something about them felt so strangely familiar. The intensity they held...their focus...

Clearly, this man was an angel of some sort because for whatever reason, Isabella found herself starting to smile for no apparent reason.

Her blue-eyed angel. She rather like the idea as her eyes fluttered closed, finding herself being once again pulled back under into a deep and pleasant slumber.


	36. Chapter 36

_Beep-Beep-Beep_

At first, the sound was pretty fuzzy. But as Isabella became more alert with every passing minute, the sound grew clearer almost crisp.

Not to mention incredibly annoying.

Frowning at the disturbance, the young woman drew herself into consciousness. Her eyes flickered once...then twice before slowly sweeping open.

Following the sound, Isabella's head turned to the left till her sights landed on the sharp, pulsing green line on a heart monitor's screen that was less than a foot away . The line was moving at a normal, steady pace.

Taking a few seconds, the 23 year old assessed her new surroundings.

She was in an all-white room, lying in a stiff tightly made up bed with bars on the side. In the air hung the unmistakable scent of rubbing alcohol and latex.

Isabella didn't have to think hard about her new location. The IV that had been stuck in her left arm only confirmed her suspicions.

"Medical..."

She was in some sort of medical facility.

"Of course you are..." Isabella could've kicked herself. She had blacked out just minutes after escaping Cobra's Base.

If there was one thing that bothered Isabella more than anything, it was not coming out of a predicament strong. Granted..she wasn't in fine condition just about then...but still.

Groaning, the woman took care as she warily sat up in bed. Her body felt rigid and tender in some places...but other than that, she was fine. Hyperthermia had long relinquished its hold and her strength had returned.

Pulling the tucked sheets that had framed her body back, the young woman swung her legs off the side of the mattress, letting her bare feet touch the cool tile floor.

It was then that she noticed that her feet weren't the only bare thing about her.

"Ok..." Isabella looked down on herself and noted the black bra and panties that she wore with furrowed brows of confusion, "..where are my clothes?" she asked out loud.

And who the hell had undressed her?

Bringing her right hand up, she peeled the tape that helped secure the IV in place off before gently sliding the needle out of the vein it had been inserted into. Once out, she applied a knowing pressure to the spot while she then set off looking for some gauze to cover the small, bleeding puncture.

Isabella found a roll tucked away in a small table's drawer on the other side of the room and quickly had her arm wrapped in a matter of minutes. To add to her luck, on top of the table already sat a pile of neatly folded clothes.

Clothes from her room.

Which meant it was safe to say with confidence, that she was back in the Pit. Whoever had attended to her must have had them brought in when she was still out cold.

So did that mean Snake Eyes had brought her here?

Grabbing the pair of light blue, flared jeans with a stylish patch that hung on the right hip, the young woman swiftly stepped into the denims. The simple, buttoned-down blouse of navy blue with short sleeves followed immediately after.

"Oh, much better." Isabella didn't even care that she was lacking shoes.

She was just ready to get out to see how much she had missed from falling unconscious and hope that it'll be enough to finally put things back to normal.

So much, that it didn't matter one bit to her that she hadn't been properly discharged from the facility yet. Nothing could stop the young woman as she crossed the floor and swept from the room without a second thought.

* * *

The young woman had kept a low profile up until she reached her team's bunker, moving with swift, long strides. She had expected to see everyone gathered in the main room when she entered but found herself quickly disappointed when met with the absence of her comrades.

Looking around the space, Isabella was completely alone.

"I guess everyone is still out and about." she murmured out loud as she moved further into the compartment, passing the lounge area as she made her way over to the hallway that would take her to her personal compartment.

As she neared her room however, she saw something of great interest just feet away.

The compartment door right across from Isabella's had been left wide open...the compartment belonging to Snake Eyes. She had never once seen his room be left open before..it was a new site.

Eyes fixed on the open entranceway, Isabella silently moved in, "I probably shouldn't..."

But she shall anyways.

Drawn in by her curiosity, she found herself halfway hovering beneath the doorway as she leaned in to look inside.

The space had a complex very much like her own-one bathroom, one bed. What set it apart however were the furnishings. They provided the room with a unique, Japanese flare-like the bamboo mat that covered the center floor or the large Tatami bed upon which Snake Eyes sat that was pushed into the far right corner of the place.

Wait...

Isabella did a double take.

But he really was there, looking the way he always did. And by the poised, crossed-leg position he held with his masked head slightly bowed, she deduced he was in some sort of meditation.

Another one of his ninja things, she supposed.

"Probably shouldn't disturb him right now..."

At the same time though, how could she look away? He was so deliciously...masculine.

Plus it didn't help in the least recalling how many times he always strived to stimulate some kind of reaction from her every chance they were in the same room together. He really had managed to get down deep under her skin- and though she hated to admit it, she was starting to like it.

Isabella released a quiet sigh she didn't even realize she had been holding and to her mortification, Snake Eye's head lifted and turned in her direction. Had he heard her?

Feeling his unseen eyes lock onto her in a heartbeat , Isabella became immediately frozen on spot.

That's affirmative.

Suddenly, Snake Eyes moved.

The second his long legs uncrossed themselves in a practiced fashion so that he could get up from his position, the young woman swore under her breath before ducking out of his doorway, "Shit." This wasn't quite how she had wanted to cross paths with him after everything that had happened.

Scurrying back across the hall to her own compartment, Isabella reached her own room and practically had the door thrown open as she retreated inside.

But as she was in the midst of closing it, a large black boot lightly jammed its way in with prevention.

Damn...

"Curse his ninja speed..." Isabella eyed the boot for a moment before she trailed her gaze up till she found herself staring directly into Snake Eyes' black visor. The man was just feet away now.

At once, a long shiver ran down her spine as she felt the full focus of the black Ninja's stare caress her face. In response, the woman tightened her grip on the door's edge till her knuckles grew white.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, Isabella opened her mouth and spoke, " Sorry...I didn't mean to pry." she told him, "I didn't think there was anyone back here besides me right now."

Like he could've cared about that. This was the first time he was seeing her awake and well since retrieving her from Cobra's Base.

Snake Eyes watched the woman with unwavering eyes, his dark head leaning to one side as he studied her face. Then, reaching down into one of the cargo pockets in his black pants, he pulled out a pad of paper and a black pen to scribble down some words which he held out for her to read.

_"Are you suppose to be out of medical?"_

When Isabella skimmed the words on the paper, a frown immediately pulled at her lips. Out of everything he could have said...that was the first thing that came out? " Really?" She thought irritably inside her head while returning with a shrug, "Yeah...I'm fine now."

Snake Eyes quickly wrote again, "_That didn't quite answer my question..."  
_  
Here we go.

Isabella brushed the statement off with a gentle toss of her head, "Don't start with me, Snake." her voice carried a light warning. The last thing she wanted right now was to be babied. And by him no less.

To her utmost surprise, the black ninja half-smiled beneath his mask while his pen went to work once more, _"Start? Last I checked...we never finished." _

His obvious teasing brought fresh color springing across her cheeks. Just to what exactly was he implying? Surely not the bathroom incident...or maybe it was the close embrace the two of them shared back at Cobra's base- whichever one, Isabella wasn't quite ready to deal with that presently.

Whether it was a blush of embarrassment or of anger, Snake Eyes couldn't quite tell. But either way, she looked adorable with her shimmering blue-green eyes and long strawberry blonde that was hanging free down her back in wild waves.

Her jaw went slack with annoyance, her eyes narrowed while she tightened her hold on the door with both hands. "Finish this." Acting on an impulse she knew quite well because of him, Isabella threw her entire weight forward, hoping she could slam that damn door on both his foot and face.

Using lighting fast reflexes, Snake Eyes countered the move with a single thrust of his arm that pushed right back. "Hmm..." he thought to himself with great amusement. She was back to her old ways of challenging him.

Oh, how Isabella could've yelled with frustration just then. What was taking her the use of both hands, Snake Eyes was easily just having to use one as they spent a long minute fighting for supremacy. And what was worse, she could tell that he was enjoying this.

The smug smirk beneath his mask was instantly recognizable.

Stomping her bare foot to show her aggravation, the young woman withdrew her hands from the door and moved back. This man was infuriating when he wanted to be!

With Isabella no longer applying resistance on the other side, Snake Eyes pushed the door wide open with ease and stepped inside the compartment.

Momentarily stunned at seeing how his tall and powerfully built form of rippling muscle filled her doorway, Isabella did the most logical thing she could think of at that moment and quickly had space put between them.

Being alone with him right now was starting to seem like a dangerous idea. They were too unpredictable when together.

"God, Snake..." she voiced irritably as she turned her back to him and crossed the room till she was over by her dresser. "..You drive me crazy!"

And in more than one way, apparently. The fast beating of her heart and fluttering in her stomach told her that.

Bracing her palms flat down upon the wooden surface before her to keep her from facing the black ninja, Isabella fell silent, waiting to see how Snake Eyes was going to respond.

At that moment, her compartment door closed with a soft click and following the sound came Snake Eyes' footsteps as he made his way over to where Isabella stood.

The young woman couldn't help but shift slightly on her feet with each approaching step, "...and that's not a compliment either." she added defensively.

Snake Eyes' chuckled quietly behind her as he scribbled another quick message down.

Glancing out of the corners of her eyes to look over the writing pad he had extended, Isabella made out these words, _"You beautiful liar..."_ Heat once again flooded her cheeks.

There was no way he could've learned to read her that well and so quickly...

Reaching a hand out, the young woman swiftly tore the message off the pad disdainfully. Crinkling it into a little ball, she threw the paper sphere at Snake Eyes' head. It bounced off his visor and fell to the floor by their feet. "And to think..." she started coolly, "...I had actually thought I had missed you."

Snake Eyes could have laughed. This woman truly was something else.

_"So you feel something then?" _He certainly was. His blood was already running hot and stirred. __

Isabella opened her mouth to reply swiftly as she turned away once again and strategically placed her hands back on the wooden surface in front of her, "Oh, there's feelings alright..." she confirmed in an almost aggravated tone, "... whether they're positive or not, I am still undecided."

"Interesting..." Snake Eyes thought as he moved in, coming up to stand directly behind Isabella while he took his writing pad and placed it quietly on the dresser beside her. Using his gloved hand, he slid it into the young woman's view and could practically feel the tension radiating off her body.

Trying desperately to ignore the sensations she was getting from having Snake Eyes stand so near, she glanced down at the pad hoping it would prove a good distraction. Only one word had been written down.

_"Well..."_

Needless to say, it wasn't much of a distraction at all.

"Why don't we figure it out?" the smooth male voice that appeared right by her ear caused Isabella to jump with alarm.

She slammed a hand down hard to show her growing impatience "What the hell are you going on abo..." Isabella's own question was abruptly cut off. "Wait... did you..." the woman wasted no time pivoting around to face the ninja directly, "...you spoke?!"

Her response was the rapid yet firm pressure of his hands as they fell upon her hips while Snake Eyes' masked lips came down and covered her own.

Shocked by his actions, Isabella didn't know how to react. Her head screamed that she should push him off...should stress how unwise this probably was of them.

But at the same time... after a delicious moment of feeling his lips upon hers, Isabella's resistance waned as her insides began to melt like butter beneath his touch.

"Oh not good..." On the contrary, it was too good. Her own lips were starting move against his-the traitors. She was actually responding.

Even with his mask on, Snake Eyes was a superb kisser. And it was strange...something about this felt like déjà vu though Isabella didn't know how that was possible.

Snake Eyes' picked up on the hesitation Isabella was feeling by the soft trembling of her lips. Though she was kissing him back, her movements were slight.. almost as if something was holding her back.

And that was unusual coming from Isabella. She never held back...especially not from him. And he undoubtedly didn't want her to start _now_ of all times. "I'll just have to convince her otherwise."

The young woman's head began reeling when Snake Eyes' hands slid up and down her waist in a skillful caress that without delay, left her body tingling in multiple places. She barely had time to draw in a sharp breath of air before he swiftly took control of the situation and backed her into the piece of furniture behind them.

The second her round bottom made contact with the wooden edge of the dresser, Snake Eyes hoisted Isabella up by her hips till he had her seated on its surface. Without breaking the kiss, his hands traced down the firm, distinctive curve of her legs till he reached her knees which he gently pulled apart so that he could stand in between them.

Isabella was positive his action had a double implication; it was an incredibly intimate move that also upheld a timeless, male-defense mechanism.

Did he suspect that she would try and kick him?

The thought was laughable. It's true that there were many things running through her head at the moment, but performing some kind of drop-kick wasn't at the top of her list, surprisingly.

Isabella was a bit too preoccupied to even try. Never in her life had her body ever gotten this wickedly hot before. And the deep aching that was settling in her core was becoming difficult to ignore with each passing second. This chemistry between her and Snake Eyes truly was extraordinary-perfect, unadulterated chemistry. Oh, this woman was going to absolutely lose it if she wasn't careful.

Though it took nearly every fiber of her being to stop, Isabella finally broke away from Snake Eyes. Her hands came up from her sides and touched the broad, rippling plane that was his chest. Before she could let things progress any further, she had to know something first.  
"Snake..." she spoke, slowly raising her eyes to meet his that were hidden behind his visor.

Her request was simple and very serious, "Take off your mask."

Snake Eyes blinked his unseen eyes once. Then to Isabella's astonishment, he complied with her order. Reaching for the base of his neck, his fingers tugged the black material up, dislodging the end of the mask that had been tucked away inside his chest covering. With his other hand, Snake Eyes quickly removed his visor before he finished pulling the mask up and over his head.

With it off, he let it fall from his fingers to the floor without a glance. All he could focus on now was the awaiting woman's reaction in front of him.

Isabella's lips parted at the sight before her. Snake Eyes was so handsome.

He had strong jaw line with full lips and rich brown hair that was tinted with gold and styled according to military regulations. And his eyes...

Such eyes.

Two vast pools of sapphire that reflected her very image within them.

They looked just like...

Isabella's eyes widened with recognition. Her blurry angel-man from her dream...guess she hadn't been dreaming after all...

Which easily explained why his ministrations felt so familiar to her. They had happened once already-and while she had still been incapacitated, nonetheless!

"It was you..." Moving an enraged hand off his chest, Isabella let her open palm fly towards his head.

Seeing her motive however, Snake Eyes quickly caught her hand within his own before her blow could land. This wasn't the most ideal reaction he got out of her...but it was something he could work with.

"You conniving son of a..."

"Sshh..."He didn't give her a chance to finish.

Instead, he silenced her with his mouth once more while he brought her hands up to go around his neck.

Snake Eyes' warm and unmasked lips efficiently muffled her protest. But that didn't completely stop Isabella from retaliating by scraping her nails up the back of his neck.

The black ninja turned his head to whisper quietly by her ear, "That's not very nice..." It hadn't hurt him of course...but it was the thought that went into it.

Isabella wasn't sure if she'd ever get use to the sound of hearing him actually talk. His voice was as rich and as smooth as chocolate.

"Oh bite me." the woman snapped back.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth while Snake Eyes lowered his head down to the curve of Isabella's neck.

Watching him bend his head, Isabella found herself actually rethinking that drop-kick scenario from earlier in spite of how he was making her body sing. She needed to get her arms working the way they should be right now...her legs too.

The trouble was though...she didn't completely want to push him away.

Snake Eyes pressed his lips against the fluttering pulse in her neck, "I'll take that as an invitation." he thought to himself.

Before Isabella could reply, the man carefully sunk his teeth into her soft skin.

The young woman felt like she had just gotten struck with lightning. Pain erupted at the tender spot where Snake Eyes had bitten, but behind that mixed another kind of feeling that traveled up her spine and started an inviting, heated pathway that flowed right down to her core; stirring her blood all throughout her body.

"Damn it!" Isabella swore through clenched teeth as the black ninja drew back so that he could watch her face, "You bastard, that hurt!" she declared fiercely, her eyes flashed dangerously at him-and it would probably bruise too.

"Is that your idea of foreplay, ninja-boy?" Those were, perhaps not her best choice of words for this exact moment.

His eyebrow arched as he chuckled quietly before falling still so he could deliver a fair warning of his own, "Don't tempt me further, Isabella..." His hands were back on her in a heartbeat. Firmly taking hold of the undersides of her thighs, Snake Eyes pulled Isabella to him till he had her legs wrapped securely about his waist. While his hands now cupped and supported her rounded bottom, he lifted the young woman right off the dresser-doing this in a matter of seconds.

Isabella's hands instinctively threw themselves about Snake Eyes' neck while she latched onto him tightly for better balance. "Tempt?!" she repeated as she spared a quick, almost uncertain glance down at the ground which she was now suspended above.

Snapping her gaze back up, she glared heatedly into Snake Eyes' face while she jabbed an accusing finger into his chest, "_You're_ the one who's been kissing _me_!" she emphasized.

The handsome ninja nodded his head, "And you never told me to stop."

"I..." her voice carried off.

Damn...he had her there. How many chances had there been when she could've turned down his kisses but didn't?

Swearing under her breath, the young woman shook her head, "Put me down."

His hold on her body tightened slightly as his head tilted to the side with silent questioning.

" Please just do it."

After a long moment, Snake Eyes did as Isabella asked. When her feet were firmly planted on the ground once more, she moved around the black ninja and started pacing the floor of her room while he watched.

"We can't be doing this, Snake." she told him firmly, "...whatever... this is."

"Why?" he voiced.

"It's..." the 23 year old paused to come up with the right words, "...nothing about it is sensible, that's why."

"Explain." Another one-worded answer.

" We clash too often. I mean have you already forgotten how we practically hated one another when we first met?"

Snake Eyes straightened up, his face becoming serious, "I never hated you, Isabella..."

The woman's arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest, "Well you didn't like me either."

A half-smile pulled at a corner of his mouth as the man boldly stepped forward, covering the distance that Isabella had placed between them, "I didn't trust you upon our first...encounter." he corrected, recalling that night, "...but ever since then, I couldn't help but hold you in highest regard."

This engagement was becoming the most vocal he has been since taking his vow of silence.

Isabella's pacing came to an abrupt halt as she watched Snake Eyes approach her yet again.

"I'm flattered..." she answered as she softly shifted on her feet, "...but why are you telling me this now?"

Snake Eyes fixed the woman with a soulful look, "Why do you think?" She had to know by now...he was speaking just for her.

"Snake..."

"I care..."

Isabella was quick to interrupt before he could finish his statement. "Don't!" she exclaimed quietly, "Don't say it...you're trying to a make a moment out of this when we probably shouldn't even be walking down this road."

"And what if I want to?" he threw back, "...go down that road, as you said?"

Isabella blinked once... then twice in complete silence, letting the man's words sink in. "You're not..." she spoke slowly, drawing the words out one by one, "...going to drop this, are you?"

Snake Eyes shook his head 'no'.  
"I can be just as stubborn as you when I want something , Isabella." he answered, "You and I are not as different as you may want to think."

Isabella's turquoise eyes widened with astonishment as she stared up into the black ninja's face. She was truly touched by his words and wanted to believe them...

But at the same time, this connection that she had with him seemed too surreal. Isabella honestly did not know what to think about it. All she knew presently was that in the midst of all the hormones and revelations, she was overcome by the sudden urge to hit something...and Snake Eyes was her ideal target.

Was this denial? Maybe...but if there was one thing this woman held steadfast to, it was never giving up without a fight.

"You know, I wish I could say I'm going to be sorry for this..." she spoke as her legs automatically took a wider stance, "...but you have me extremely conflicted here so..." Catching Snake Eyes completely by surprise, Isabella threw and landed a punch to his solar plexus, momentarily knocking the breath right out of his lungs. "No hard feelings..."

He staggered back, his brows creasing with confusion. She...just hit him.

And she wasn't done. The black ninja had only a couple seconds to respond when Isabella's leg swung high, aiming a kick for his head. Her attack may have taken him by surprise the first time, but now he was prepared for a fight, if that was what she wanted.

Snake Eyes crouched down and swerved to the side, watching as her foot flew right over his head.  
"Bella..." the man caught her foot before she could bring it down and gave it a powerful jerk to offset her balance.

With a brief cry, Isabella tumbled backwards and fell to the floor of her room.

Using that to his advantage, black ninja dived at her fallen form.

Still moving however, Isabella rolled forward.

And Snake Eyes missed. Well almost.

As the woman tried to stand once again, he swiftly caught her wrist from behind and pulled her back down alongside him.

For the next few moments, they wrestled-but he eventually won.

Easily using his weight and much larger size against her, Snake Eyes straddled her hips, pressing her wrists together over her head to keep her in submission. Just like that, he had her. Leaning close to her face, he stared directly into her eyes. "What are you doing, Isabella?" he asked her with an alarming calmness despite the tussle she had just put him through.

Her chest rose and fell heavily with every breath of air she drew in as she found herself trying to fight back the heated tingling that was taking place in the pit of her stomach once again. Isabella lifted her head till her nose brushed Snake Eyes-they were just centimeters apart. "Releasing... tension..." which had been true though her current position now was having quite the opposite effect on her.

After a moment or so, Snake Eyes slowly started to smile as if he understood exactly what she meant. "And where did all this tension come from, I wonder..."

"Oh...you _arrogant_..._impossible_..._insufferable_..." The list could have gone on for Isabella if she hadn't leaned forward to press her lips against Snake Eyes.


End file.
